Bloom
by Rolivianna
Summary: "A flower isn't the only thing that blooms." AU Rolivia. Amanda works in a library and Olivia is a professor. T for now.
1. Chapter 1

**Sorry for the mix up the first time. This website is a bitch sometimes. Here it is again.**

 **Chapter One.**

Late. It's the only word rushing through her head as she's bolting across campus to the library. Rushing feet hit the dewy grass of the front lawn of Siena's library, and she shoves her camera into her bag and pushes through the large front doors. It was silly to think that getting away with taking a few photos before work was a good idea, knowing how quickly time is lost when she donned a camera. She makes her way briskly to the room behind the check in/out counter of the large school library, hoping her boss would be as lenient as she usually is.

"Tsk, Tsk, Amanda. This is the third time you're late this month.. Let's lower that number by three, yea?" Coraline, the library manager says, a small smirk on her face. Amanda rolls her eyes as she clocks in, nudging the older woman with a teasing elbow.

"I'm sorry. I went to this garden a few blocks away to take some photos and lost track of time." The young blonde replies breathily. She lets out a relieved sigh, thankful for her boss' sarcastic manner. It's better than getting yelled at.

"Are they worth being late?" She asks, eyeing the younger woman over her cateye glasses.

Amanda pulls out her camera and hands it to the old woman, "I think so." the blonde retorts. Her heart swells with pride when she sees the smile cross Coraline's face as she flips through the photos on the device. "That garden had a lot of flowers I've never seen before. It was hard to pass it and not take some photos." She explains, looking over the shorter woman's shoulder at the photographs.

"Alright, alright. These are beautiful, Mandy. Let's try not to make this a habit though, okay? You gotta job to do." She commands lightly, her New York accent poking through.

The younger woman nods, clocking in after taking the camera from Coraline and shoving her stuff into her designated cubby. She runs a hand through tangled, blonde hair and blows out a breath, waiting for the old woman to give daily orders.

"Listen, there's a new professor here and she's going to be stopping by to pick up a box of Philosophy books. They're already waiting for her behind the counter, so just be sure to check them all out under her name before she takes off with them." The stout woman orders, slipping her glasses onto her head and grabbing her purse. "I have errands to run today so just keep things running."

Amanda nods once more, "Yes, Ma'am." Giving her a small smile, she follows her out of the back room and to the front desk, taking her usual seat in front of the 'dinosaur' computer. The younger woman ties her hair up into a ponytail before logging into the check in/take out account. "Christ, we need a new computer," She mutters, hitting the side of the old fashioned monitor.

When she finishes logging in and getting everything up and running, she sits back in the chair and sighs. Days at the library were always boring, to say the least. She looks at the box of books next to her and arches an eyebrow. Grabbing a random book from the top, she flips through it in effort to pass the time.

Tuesdays With Morrie. The book itself looked a bit on the boring side, but she wasn't going to knock it right away.

"That's a good one." A voice says only moments later, and the younger woman startles, looking up. A tall brunette woman, wearing a silk blouse and a pencil skirt is standing in front of the counter, hair falling in soft curls against her shoulders and black rimmed glasses perched on her nose. She looked professional and attractive and immediately, it draws Amanda in.

"Oh, I- I've never read it." She eventually stutters, shrugging her shoulders nervously. She sets the book down on the counter and smiles sheepishly, "I was just taking a look at it."

The woman leans her elbows against the counter and nods, smiling, "A young man who was close with his professor in college finds out that said professor is sick and dying, so he visits him every tuesday until the old man passes. Each visit, the professor tells him things he's learned about life and love and relationships. It's…. Very philosophical. Makes you think about how precious life is."

Amanda presses her lips together and nods thoughtfully, her eyes shoot down to the book in hand, and suddenly, she doesn't know what to say. It clicks that this is the professor that's supposed to pick up the books and she jumps into action immediately. "You must be the new Prof. My apologies, these are for you. I just need to check them all out so you can take them." Avoiding the older woman's piercing gaze, Amanda scans each book quickly. "Um. Can I see your Teacher ID please?" She asks quietly. The professor hands it to the blonde and she swipes it. The younger woman taps a few keys, clicks away with the vintage mouse, then hands it back it along with the small box of books. "There you go," She mutters, a twinge of southern accent peppering her small voice.

"Thank you," The brunette smiles softly, tucking the box under one arm and begins to turn away. Pausing before she completely does though, she pulls out the book and slides it across the counter. "Here. You keep this one, read it, and bring it by my office when you're done." Amanda blushes at the gesture, but if the older woman notices it, she ignores it. "I'm in this building.. Second floor, room 2034." She tilts her head, flashing another smile before sauntering away, heels clicking loudly on the marble tile.

Dumbly, Amanda mumbles a quick, unheard 'thank you' and glances down at the book in front of her. She was never really a big reader, more into visual arts, but something about the woman, professor, sent a chill down her spine and a rush of butterflies flapping in her stomach. Something that hadn't really happened since high school.

She glances at the 'recently checked out' column on the dino computer and smiles subconsciously, seeing the name of the last person who'd check anything out.

Dr. Olivia Benson, PhD, Philosophy and Literature.

She has a doctorate, which means she's incredibly smart, which is a little intimidating. It means she knows exactly what she's talking about, most likely always.

Amanda think briefly about how beautiful the brunette was, the way her brown eyes gazed soulfully into mine when she spoke, her plump lips shaping each word that slipped from her mouth. She couldn't be older than 40, most likely a few years younger than that really, but either way, she was absolutely stunning.

She slips off the stool and quickly makes her way into the back room. Amanda decides that it's a slow enough day to where she can upload her photos onto her laptop and edit some of them. She was fortunate enough to have people who want to buy them so usually end up selling the photographs to stores and shops, which it's a good little side job. Her salary at the library, while not terrible, wasn't the best either.

She makes her way back to the front counter and sets up her little station next to the dino computer, opening her laptop and popping in the camera's memory card. It's sometimes hard to believe that she'd gotten this far in her life, especially with the way she grew up. Shaking her head of the distasteful thoughts, she begins her work on the first photo.

It's not even a few hours later when Coraline arrives back, two hot dogs and two drinks in her hands. "Hey, Kid! I got you some lunch. Did the Philo Prof stop by?"

The younger woman looks up from her laptop and smiles warmly, thanking her boss silently for the food. "Yea, she did." Avoiding the older woman's prodding gaze, she silently chastises herself for the dreamy undertone in her voice.

"Quite the stunner, that one." Coraline smirks, "You either have to have a Doctorate, or be a model to teach here." Coraline takes a large bite and shakes her head. "You can't just be a regular person anymore."

"She hit all three of those marks then," Amanda mutters, unwrapping her hotdog. Looking up, she sees the wide smile on her boss' face. "I mean she has a Doctorate.. a-and she's um. She's pretty. Also, why can't she have both and still be a normal person?" She questions, clearing her throat and tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "Anyway. Her doctorate is in Philosophy and Literature."

"Very observant of you, Mandy." The old woman teases.

She scowls and bites into her hotdog disapprovingly, "It's on her ID, Coraline." She mocks back, garbling around a mouthful of food.

Coraline chuckled teasingly, "I'm just yanking your chain, kid. And don't talk with your mouth full! Common decency." She tuts, shaking her head.

"Isn't there like.. a dewey decimal system drawer you could be dusting off or something?" the younger woman bites jokingly, smirking at the huff Coraline returns back.

"I'll have you know, plenty of people use that system. It's not that dusty." She tosses her crumpled up foil wrapper at her employee and disappears into the back room.

"Of course. When all the computers are being used, that's the last resort!" Amanda calls back, laughing at the older woman's displeased grumble. She turns back to her computer and jumps when she sees someone standing on the other side of the counter. It's Professor Benson, with a tiny, but very attractive smirk on her lips.

"I didn't want to interrupt."

Amanda is mortified, wondering how much the older woman really heard of their conversation, seeing as half of it was about her. "Uh.. How long were you standing there..?" She asks nervously, a short laugh escaping her lips in attempt to lighten the situation.

"Long enough to see you insult that woman's love for the Dewey Decimal System." Professor Benson smiles back, head tilting. "I have a slight confession to make. I… still use the decimal system."

And suddenly, mortified isn't a strong enough word. "I-I.. I was kidding about that.. I mean I'm not calling you old! You don't look old, I mean.. Well obviously you aren't young but-" She stops when she sees a perfectly kept brow arch in amusement, and she mentally face-palms herself. "Wait. Let me start over-"

"I know what you mean…."

"Amanda."

"Amanda. It's okay." She laughs good naturedly.

Amanda tries to compose herself as subtly as possible. "What can I do for you, Professor Benson?" She smiles weakly, fingers tapping the counter nervously.

She tilts her head and threads her brows together, "Are you one of my students this year?" She asks genuinely, eyes scanning the younger woman's face for any recognition.

"Ah, no. I graduated from here two years ago.. I just work here."

"Well, then you can just call me Olivia, seeing as we won't be working together scholastically. To you, I'm merely a consumer." She smiles playfully, and Amanda's heart flutters. She'd taken note earlier that the older woman's smile was extremely captivating.

"Okay, Olivia.. How may I assist you?"

She sets a large book on the counter, hand resting on top of it. "I got the wrong year for this book. Can I return it for the right copy?"

"Of course. I'll check this one in and you can go grab the other one." Amanda opens the front cover and looks at the numbers on the card inside. "It should be in the third aisle, 800-900." She smiles, noticing the impish grin spreading across her company's lips.

"Now look who the old one is." She teases, sauntering towards the philosophy section.

Amanda's eyes widen and she jumps out of her seat, following the older woman, "I swear that wasn't a jab at your- anyone's age! I was just-"

Olivia laughs heartily, placing a hand on the younger woman's shoulder, "I'm kidding, Amanda."

The blonde stops, mouth opening and closing in an attempted reply. Finally she sighs and laughs shyly, "Right."

She's prepared to walk back to her station, when Olivia speaks again. "What did you major in when you went here?" She asks, gaze focused intently at the collection of books in front of her.

"Photography and Visual Arts." Amanda replies mechanically. "I'm really into… seeing things. Visual stimulation is- well for me- therapeutic. I love taking photographs, looking at art, all that stuff. My mama always told me, "You don't go out and read the world, girl. You see it." She didn't realize how much she was blabbing until she looked up and noticed the intent gaze of the older woman piercing into her. She looked genuinely interested, too.

"That's… true. In a sense. But I agree with the visual stimulation," She hums, turning her eyes back the the books. "One certainly does not pass up the opportunity to see an aesthetically pleasing visual when given the chance.." She throws her eyes towards the younger woman briefly, a smirk playing at her plump lips. Amanda is shocked silent as she picks up the almost-subtle insinuation. The brunette plucks her desired book off the highest shelf and smiles, brushing past Amanda. "In any case," She continues as the blonde follows her back to the check in/out counter, "reading is a form of visual stimulation, and can take you to many delightful places while still in the comfort of your own space."

Amanda shakes her head and takes the book from the professor, beginning the checkout process, "With all due respect, Olivia, imagination can't be compared to color and shapes and everything a painting or photograph or even real life can provide."

Olivia smiles again, leaning her elbow against the counter, resting her hand in it. "I can't argue with that, Amanda," She murmurs. Taking the book as the shorter woman slides it across the counter. "Thank you for your service today, miss Amanda." She smiles sweetly.

"You're welcome, Miss Doctor Professor Olivia." Amanda replies, her own shy smile crossing her face. It grows wider when laughter bubbles through Olivia's lips.

"Do me a favor?" Olivia chuckles. She speaks again before the younger woman can really reply, "Open your mind in that pretty head of yours a little and imagine the greatness that comes when you combine art and words, okay?"

Amanda nods dumbly for the second time that day, "Okay."

"Read that book, and then tell me that words can't be... satisfying... too."

Something in the way the taller woman said satisfying sent chills down Amanda's spine, and before she could work up the nerve to reply, she noticed that the only thing left in front of her was the returned book.

 **Please let me know what you think of this! Sorry for the mix up the first time! R &R! ;) **

**Anna**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the feedback. I was going to hold out at least a week, but since it's a holiday and I'm excited about this story, I'll give it to you all now. Here's number two. Happy Fourth of July. :)**

 **Chapter two.**

For the next two days, Amanda's had her nose buried in the book Olivia had given her. So for, she's counted three times she's cried in an environment that was less than appropriate. _Tuesday's With Morrie_ was, hands down, one of the best books she's ever read, and in just two short days, she was on the last few pages. Touching was the least she could say about the read, and most definitely something to think about, especially with her own life.

"What's got _you_ all teary eyed?" Coraline asks, leaning against the side of the counter. When Amanda doesn't answer, the older woman snatches the book from the blonde's hand. "Ahhhhhhh. The famous Morrie. This was a good one." She hands it back to Amanda with a sympathetic smile.

Amanda nods, blinking away the few unshed tears from her eyes, "Who knew how little humans cared about the important things?" She pondered, slipping her bookmark into it's spot. "Really, most people spend their days with their noses glued to their phones or ears, not really noticing that things are _happening_ around them?"

"That, my darling, is the definition of millennials. You're one of the good ones though. What's got you reading this? I've never seen you look at the inside of a book in all the years you've worked here."

Amanda shook her head and placed the book on the shelf in front of her knees under the counter. "Professor Benson saw me looking at it and told me to read it before giving it to her."

"Oh and suddenly you _listen_ to orders?"

"If they're given to me by hot brunettes, yea." The younger woman teases, shooting a wink at her boss.

"I'll pretend that didn't sting. Anyway. I've gotta go pick out a gift for my granddaughter for her birthday. You have any idea what an 8 year old girl likes?" She asks, slipping on her sunglasses and shouldering her purse.

"You don't know what your granddaughter likes?" Amanda laughs, hooking the neck strap of her camera over her head. She decided that she'd take a few candid shots of the library while things were slow.

"When I was her age, I was reading _Great Expectations._ She's into a Beaver guy. I don't know."

"Justin Bieber?"

" _That's_ the one." The older woman jokes.

"Okay grandma. Get her a poster and his latest CD album or something."

"Thanks, I'll see you later." The grey haired woman smiled, sending a wave as she waltzed out of the large library. Amanda smiles when she thinks about how good of a mother and grandmother Coraline really is. In her short life, the blonde had never had a stable relationship with any of the women in her family, and it was something that- even now, as a 24 year old woman- she craved. And somehow, she got it from Coraline. She'd be grateful forever to the old woman.

She slid the bell and the little " _ring for assistance"_ sign onto the counter and hopped off of the stool. It was just after lunch time, and it was fairly dull. The times that the library was usually packed was when there's a book reading or when there were major exams to study for. Otherwise, the old fashioned book keep was fairly quiet. That's what she liked most about this job, the fact that she could _usually_ get peace and quiet while working.

She steps into a random aisle and crouches down, getting as close to the floor without laying on it as possible, and angles her camera for her lense to point down the masterfully placed row of books. She's proud to say that her photographs of the library are usually the ones that they put on the college website.

She squints one eye and looks into into the obscura, standing up for a better angle.

Her view is blocked suddenly, a head of soft brown hair and smiling eyes obstructing her view, and she immediately snaps a photo of her interrupter before lowering her camera. "You stepped into my shot." She jokes, mentally thanking her brain for functioning properly around this stunning woman.

"Well, I _rang for assistance_ , but it looks like assistance is a little occupied." She retorts sassily, eyebrow arching in amusement.

"Did you? I'm sorry. I kind of get lost in my own world when my eye is focused on my subject." Amanda replies nervously. "What do you need help with?" She asks, motioning towards the front counter.

"I'm here to pick up some pre-ordered literary writing guides for next term. The delivery service informed me that they dropped it off here in the Library." She recites, tucking a strand of brunette locks behind her ear. Today she dons a straightened look, hair only slightly curving in at the ends. She looked even younger with her hair like this, and Amanda can't help but wonder how old she really is.

"Let me check in the back. Coraline, my manager, was here earlier before my shift started so it must've come then. I'll be right back." She dashes to the back room and scans the space, seeing a stack of two medium sized boxes. "Yikes," She mutters, trying to figure out how heavy they were. They were books, so they couldn't be light.

She steps back out and sees Olivia leaning against the counter, back turned and elbows resting on the surface. "So good news and bad news," Amanda boasts, making the older woman turn around, her eyebrows shooting up in question. "They're back there, but there's two of them and they don't look light."

She suppresses a laugh as Olivia groans in displeasure. "No matter," She sighs, "I'll just make two trips."

"Olivia. They're medium sized boxes full of books. And last I checked, carrying 40 lbs while wearing-" She glances over the counter at the professor's legs, eyes sliding down to heel clad feet, "stilettos, isn't the safest thing to do." She smirks when the older woman rolls her eyes. "I'll call maintenance and have them bring a dolly and I'll wheel them to your office for you."

Olivia smiles graciously, "Thank you."

Amanda's heart flutters at the smile she's given, and it's a sight she wants keep forever. Maybe one day Olivia would agree to be a photography subject.

 _A girl could dream._

…

A few hours later, Amanda is sitting in the back room, taking her late afternoon break. Her laptop is set up in front of her and she goes through the few photos she'd taken after lunch. She deletes the ones that she doesn't like, and when she comes to the last one of the bunch, her breath hitches.

Olivia's face is the center focus of the photo, the background slightly blurred to give all attention to the main point. Her eyes are slightly crinkled in amusement, her lips forming a half smirk, half smile, one side of her hair is hanging freely, slightly covering her perfectly carved cheek bone, the other side tucked neatly behind her ear, which dons a beautiful medium sized hoop earring.

The woman was truly a work of art, there were no visible flaws on the photo, save for a small scar under her left brow. Amanda hadn't even edited the photo, and she knew immediately she didn't have to. No filter, no brightening, no contrasting, nothing. It was literally perfect.

And suddenly, she remembered why she liked visual art better. One just couldn't describe this kind of perfection with words.

She wonders how Olivia would react if she knew she had this photo. She knew the older woman heard the click of the camera, but she didn't want to fully assume that it was okay to keep it. She decided that the next time she saw the other woman, she'd tell her she had it, show her, and let her decide if she wanted it to be deleted or kept. The blonde would be devastated if Olivia decided that it wasn't worthy enough to be kept, but she also knew that she couldn't breach the brunette's trust like that.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Coraline asks, padding into the room.

Amanda quickly changes photos, not wanting the older woman to ask questions or tease about her new tiny obsession. "Just some photos I took of the Library. Figured the website might need updated photos for the next term."

Coraline snorts, "Yes because people can tell that history's been moved to 600 and fiction was sent back to 1-200." She jokes.

"Joke all you want, but updated photos on the website is a good way of showing potential students that the school stays on top of things."

Coraline shrugs and mutters a quick 'you're right' before moving to the coffee machine.

Amanda checks the time and sighs, seeing that it's about time to head back up front. "I've only got about two hours left before my shift is over, Coraline, is there anything you want me to do between now and then?" The young woman asks, slipping her laptop back into her cubby.

"There was a few guys in here that mixed up the Biology section, could you go reorganize that?"

Amanda nods once, "No problem."

After cleaning up the mess the students had graciously made, she went back to her station, beginning the daily log check. She sent out notifications to students and teachers who had overdue books, and then logged out of the program. Halfway through, the computer froze and the young woman groaned, lightly swatting the side of the monitor, "Come _on,_ you fossilized piece of-"

"Miss Rollins."

Amanda's head snaps up, and her cheeks redden. In front of her stands the Dean of the Literature building, Ed Tucker. "Dean Tucker! Hello. I was just-"

"Showing your respect for school property, I can see that."

She lets out a nervous chuckle, "Sorry, sir. It keeps freezing."

"I'll look into getting it fixed," He dismisses, and Amanda smiles tightly. It was the fifth time he'd said that this term. "Anyway. I'm here to inform you that we would like you to be the one to take the school photos for all new professors and staff members. Seeing as you're a photography major and dedicated alumni, we're offering a handsome commission if you so choose to do it." He smiles thinly, pulling out his phone halfway through his proposal.

"O-of course! I'd be happy to do it, sir. When?"

"Friday morning. It'll be done here, so be sure to get here at 7 AM to set up your station. I don't want this going on later than after lunch, I need my professors in their classrooms. Got it?"

"Absolutely."

"We'll send you the check monday morning."

"Thank you, sir."

He hums, walking away without saying another word.

Amanda lets out a bated breath and turns back to the computer. She decides that this check, whatever the value is, will go towards a new monitor and tower. It's the least she can do for Coraline and the library.

With only 10 minutes left on her clock, she heads back into the back room to gather her things and say goodbye to her boss. "I'm packing up. I'll see you tomorrow." The younger woman smiles, shouldering her backpack and hanging her camera around her neck.

"Have a good evening, Kid."

With that, she clocks out and makes her way to the exit of the Library. She hears the gently clicking of heels on tile and she sees Olivia making her way down the staircase, purse and briefcase hanging on each shoulder. Their shifts end at the same time.. Well on Wednesdays at least.

She stops when Olivia approaches her and she adjusts her backpack on her shoulder. The brunette is the first to speak, "Thank you again for helping me get those boxes up to my office." She smiles, placing a grateful hand on Amanda's bicep.

"It was no problem, really."

"You sure you're not in trouble for leaving the library unattended for that amount of time?"

Amanda smirks coyly, "I'm sure all two people could manage without me for a few minutes while I helped a lady in distress."

"Lady makes me sound old. And come to think of it, so does distress. Like I can't help myself?"

"Not in those shoes you can't." Amanda retorts, immediately regretting her choice of words. She was joking, but still. She and Olivia aren't anywhere near close enough to be able to make comments like that, and she runs a hand down her face. "I really should think about what I say before I say it." She sighs, cheeks reddening.

"You're honest. I like that." Olivia says, completely ignoring the pseudo-apology.

Amanda shakes her head. She's about to make up some excuse to get her away from the woman who makes her completely flustered, but she remembers that she has the photo to show her. "I have something to show you. Do you have a minute?"

"For you? I even have a few."

Amanda avoids the older woman's gaze, hoping that Olivia doesn't see the rosy tint in her cheeks. "So earlier today, I got a photo of you when you stepped in my line of fire, and I wanted you to see it."

"Oh boy." Olivia says in exasperation.

"No, no! You look stun- um, it's a good photo. Really, I think it came out nice." Amanda expertly holds her laptop with one hand while tapping at keys and skimming the touchpad with the other. She pulls the photo up and moves to stand next to the taller woman. "I don't even have to do any editing or add any overlays or filters." She waits for Olivia's feedback, preparing for self depreciation, but it never comes. Instead, she looks over at the woman standing next to her, and notices the intense gaze that's pointing in her direction.

"You really took that." Olivia states quietly, glancing back at the photo on the screen.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," _Yes I did._ "But honestly.. It's one of my favorites. It tells a lot about you, just by the expression on your face."

"How so?"

"Well," Amanda begins nervously, "You clearly know what you're doing, the amusement on your features obviously states that you one hundred percent meant to step in front of my camera. And I can also see a clear image, and it's not just the photo. You look… I don't know. You look like you're happy to be where you are, or you were thinking of something that made you happy. I can't really tell that part. I just know that the look on your face is genuine."

Olivia bites her lip and they lock gazes for a second before Amanda shyly slides her gaze away from that of the brunettes. "All that from just a photo?" Olivia asks quietly.

"You're the philosopher, Doctor Professor Benson," Amanda attempts at making the air lighter, "Aren't you supposed to believe in seeing the deeper meaning in things?"

"You're quite something, Amanda." Olivia smiles softly. "I think it's a wonderful photo." She pulls out a notebook and pen from her bag and writes something on it, tearing it out of the spirals and folding it neatly. "If you get the time, I'd love for you to email it to me, along with some of your other work. I'd love to try and decipher the 'deeper meanings'."

Amanda is awestruck as she closes her laptop and takes the folded paper. She waves slightly as Olivia bids her a 'farewell for now' and walks out of the building. She lets out a sigh and shakes her head. This woman would be the death of her.

She steps into the crisp autumn air, intent on going home, finishing _Tuesdays With Morrie,_ and (sadly) most likely staring at the slightly candid photo of Olivia.

 **Before you go saying anything mean about Tucker in this story, I want to say that I like his character on the show, and I adore Bobby Burke. I just wanted sort of an antagonist in this story, seeing as it's AU and Amanda doesn't have the same past as she does in the SVU realm (Gambling, Drinking, Patton, Etc.). That being said, if you choose to comment about his character in this fic, please keep it constructive and not hateful. Thank you.**

 **As always, please don't hesitate in letting me know how you liked this chapter, and leave a comment for little old me. I so very much appreciate it!**

 **xx, Anna**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all for the good feedback. I love your words, please keep them coming! Enjoy this update.**

 **Chapter three.**

Amanda flops down onto a chair, rubbing her eyes as she looks over the finished set for the photo shoot. It's now 8 AM, but she'd gotten to the library at 6 because she had to find all of the equipment necessary for the shoot. Finally, she was finished, all she has to do now is wait for the professors and staff to make their appearance.

Coraline walks in, eyebrows arched in surprise. "What's all this?"

"Coraline, I told you. Dean Tucker hired me to take school photos for the new staff. He's paying a lot since I'm doing it all on my own."

The old woman lets out an "ah" and looks around the library. "First time in weeks that this place'll be really put to use." She chortles, sitting in a chair across from Amanda. "Do you need to do practice photos?"

Amanda groans, " _Yes._ Will you sit in that stool in front of the backdrop so I can angle the camera right?"

"Of course, my darling."

The blonde stands behind the camera, angles the flash and anti-reflective canvas. "Alright, I think this is good. Turn your body towards the entrance of the Library, and look towards me." She watches through the obscura as the older woman adjusts. "Okay, um.. Tilt your chin down a little, but stretch your neck forward." She pulled her head away from the camera and demonstrated, "Like this."

"Got it."

Amanda snaps a few photos, testing out different poses, and by the time the first few teachers show up, she's confident that things will go smoothly.

"Hi, everyone," She greets, a smile on her face. The line starts on that side," She points to the far end of the counter, "When it's your turn, give me your name card and sit on this stool."

She does a few, giving directs on how to sit and pose. She feels a swell of confidence when the professors listen to her constructive commands, and she can't help the smile that crosses her face as she continues on. She finishes up with a male teacher, thanking him for his cooperation and turns to take the card of the next teacher.

Her eye is already squinted, the other poised in front of the obscura when she sees through the tiny frame who she's about to photograph. She tears her eyes away from the camera and looks up, seeing Olivia sitting properly on the stool, one leg crossed over the other.

"Hi," She mutters. Immediately, she walks over to the older woman, hands going to a slightly crinkled collar. She avoids the intense eyes of the professor and straightens the material. She thinks she hears Olivia reply with a low "hello," but she's too focused on the tanned skin of the other woman's smoothe neck and chest. She pulls back slightly, eyes grazing over the entirety of the woman, and nods once. "Perfect." She whispers, eyes momentarily connecting with the brunette.

Perfect? Next, maybe she could tell the other woman about how attracted she is to her. Why not throw in the fact that she practically stares at the photo she'd taken the other day? Perfect.

She scurries back to the camera, grateful that Olivia was the last one- for now- to get her photo taken. Had anyone else seen that little interaction, they'd be confused and maybe a little disturbed.

"Okay, turn your head towards me a little bit more.. Yeah.. and-" She looks up and tilts her head. There was something off. Olivia had a thin lipped smile, just like all the other teachers had done. Fake smiles were the younger woman's least favorite thing. She could tolerate it with the other professors, but for some reason, not with Olivia. "I read the book." Amanda states, eyes poised at the camera once again. She'd get Olivia to smile.

"Oh yeah? What do you think?" Olivia questions, still sitting properly in the stool, waiting for the photos to be taken.

"It was really good. And before you ask, I did _not_ cry." She jokes, snapping a few test pictures.

"Is that right?"

"No. I cried." She deadpans, garnering a genuine laugh from the older woman. She quickly snaps a few photos. Satisfied, she pulls away, "But only like.. Three times. Takes a lot more than just a sad book to get _this girl_ crying more than that."

"Only three, huh."

"Yes, that's what I said." Amanda smirks, moving to her laptop and scanning through the photos. She sees the perfect one, and she feels a wave of proudness wash over her. The taller woman's smile isn't too big, she'd captured it right before Olivia had started laughing, so it was genuine, but not _too_ cheesy. "Perfect," She mutters subconsciously.

"That was quick." Olivia says, slipping off the stool and straightening her skirt.

"You're easy," Amanda replies, immediately regretting her choice of words. She watches Olivia's eyebrow arch in shock and amusement. "Jesus christ," She hisses. "That's not what I meant, Olivia."

"I'd like to think I'm a 'dinner first' kind of woman.." She playfully jibes, stepping closer to the younger woman. Amanda's eyes widen at the insinuation, thankful she wasn't drinking anything, otherwise it would have shot straight out of her mouth. She really wasn't expecting that.

"Of course.. I mean you're easy to take photos of.. You're- you're picturesque. Naturally beautiful. Uh-um, camera ready."

"Amanda, it's _okay._ I know what you meant, I'm not offended. I'm flattered. I've never felt comfortable in front of a camera, but today I was, thank you."

Amanda lets out a relieved breath, and shakes her head, mentally kicking herself for her own word vomit. She tucked a strand behind her ear. "So. Since I read the book, I want _you_ to do something for me." The younger woman pulled up an image on her laptop and walked over to one of the library couches. She sits down and pats the seat next to her. "I want you to try and describe in _words_ what this photo tells you."

Olivia sits next to her, body turned so their knees touch, and Amanda tries hard to ignore the tingles at the contact. Olivia's smooth, bare knee touching her own. She curses herself for wearing her bermuda shorts.

Olivia focuses on the screen, mouth slightly agape. She slips her glasses on and gently moves the laptop off of Amanda's lap and onto her own. "Amanda.. This is.. Just.. wow." She stares adoringly at the photo in front of her, seemingly at a loss for words.

The photo shows a busy new york street at night, the pavement is wet and you can see hints of sprinkling water. But even though it was raining that night, people were still out, still facing the weather and going about their evening. When Amanda had taken it, she was in a state of distressed feelings. She'd been crying. The city to her, represents that despite the condition of the weather, things still went on. The world still turned. Just like when she was crying, when tears fell down her face, she was still living. Heart still beating, mind still racing, eyes still seeing.

She watched Olivia's brown orbs scan the photo. Moments later, the older woman looked up and shook her head. "It's beautiful." Their eyes connect and Amanda's breath stops short. "You got me. Some things just can't really be described with words." She smiles sweetly, eyes never breaking the deep connection.

"That doesn't make it a bad thing, too. It just means it's special."

Olivia hums and looks back at the photo. "I'd like to see more of your photos sometime."

"Sure, Sure. Just stop by anytime, I'm always here."

"I was thinking maybe.. When I don't have a class to teach, you could come by my classroom and I could put them up on the projector." Olivia suggests, a hint of pink blushing her cheeks. It's a first sight for Amanda, being that the older woman was usually stoic and confident.

The thought of spending more time with the brunette sends a rush of excitement and nerves running through her body. Especially since they'll be looking at her photographs. She was starting to develop deeper feelings for the professor, and she didn't really know if it was a good idea to be spending so much time with her.. But the hopeful look in Olivia's wide, brown eyes obliterated any doubt in her mind. She couldn't deny this woman anything. Ever.

"That sounds good. Um… Do you have any classes tomorrow? I work until 3 so I'll be here." She asks nervously, not knowing if the older woman did in fact have classes on saturdays. It wasn't uncommon for college.

"My only class tomorrow ends at 3:45. Why don't you come in after work and listen in until I'm finished?"

Amanda can only nod quickly, an eager smile on her lips.

Olivia hands the laptop back and stands up, her own smile crossing her features. "It's a date then." She grabs her things and waves goodbye, and in seconds, Amanda is alone in the library.

 _A date._

…

Amanda was about finished putting away all of the photography equipment when Dean Tucker walked in, his features looking less hard, almost relaxed.

"Miss Rollins. I heard the photos went well, have you emailed them to my secretary?"

Amanda smiled proudly, "Yes sir, I did." She boasts, her twang poking through once again.

"Great. Thank you for doing this for us, you'll be paid well for the good work you've done." He smiles thinly, nodding once before turning on his heels and striding out of the Library.

The younger woman has no doubt that the photos came out good. Shoots like that are always simple, only one thing to focus on and the right pose can make for a great photo.

She thinks about how beautiful Olivia looked today, and seeing her in front of the camera made her body tingle. Their proximity when she adjusted the older woman's collar, the locked gazes, the flirtatious words. All of it added up and it made a undeniable attraction between the two of them. The blonde knows she's young, she knows she still has plenty to learn, she doesn't hold a candle in comparison to Olivia. The professor is the epitome of beauty and poise and grace. She defines professional and blows physical beauty out of the water. Amanda's keen on figuring out Olivia's age, wanting to see the difference and if the other woman would see it as a problem (assuming they stood a chance in any kind of relationship).

Amanda shakes her head in attempt to clear her thoughts. She stands up and heads to her station behind the front counter. She'll have time to think when she's not in the same building as the woman who occupies her every thought.

 **I know this chapter is short, but it's mostly just a filler. Their relationship is definitely blooming, no? ;) Let me know what you think of this chapter in the review section! Hopefully I'm still doing well with this story! Leave a review if you liked this chapter, leave one if you didn't!**

 **Anna**


	4. Chapter 4

**I've decided to update for every two chapters I write, that way I always have the next one ready instead of nothing at all. If that makes sense. Thank you all so much for the amazing feedback! I'm surprised you all actually like this story and continue to read it. Thank you all for your support! Here's chapter 4!**

 **P.S. The Philosophy lesson Olivia is teaching in this chapter is** **not my own words.** **I found it on Medium dot com and pulled sections from it. Please note this before reading, I don't want to get in trouble if someone reports this saying I plagiarized it.** **It is not mine.**

 **Chapter four.**

The hours leading up to three o'clock were grueling. Amanda had had a twisty feeling in her stomach all morning, nerves and butterflies and excitement all bundled into one. She'd be spending alone time with Olivia, planned alone time, and it felt unreal. 3 PM came quickly and Amanda didn't know whether to be grateful or frustrated. There was never enough time to prepare for spending time with someone who plagued your mind constantly.

She stops outside the older woman's classroom and takes a deep breath, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. Gathering up all the nerve she can, she pushes the door open and walks in, ignoring all the glances of students being shot in her direction. She and Olivia lock eyes, but the other woman doesn't stop her lesson, she's not phased. Amanda listens to her as she takes a seat in the front.

" _Man is affected, not by the events, but by the view he takes of them._ A quote from Epictetus. What that means is, how things affect us depends on how we feel about them. And how we feel about them depends on what we believe they mean." Olivia paces calmly in front of the 40 pairs of eyes watching her, and Amanda'll be damned if it wasn't mesmerizing.

The younger woman can't take her eyes off the brunette. Her attitude pours out of her with confidence and professionalism and grace.

They lock eyes briefly, and the blonde can see mirth and something else in the other woman's brown orbs. Amanda breaks their intense stare, instead letting her eyes rove over the older woman's body. Today she's a little more casual. Her hair is up in a stylish ponytail, glasses perched rightfully on her nose, face almost completely free of makeup. She's wearing tight black jeans, those damn heels, a silky blouse and a thin boyfriend blazer. Though it's not the usual suit and pencil skirt, she still looks utterly beautiful, and professional nonetheless.

Before she realizes it, Olivia is reminding her students to check their email for their next lesson and dismissing them.

Amanda stays seated, watching Olivia's actions as she walks the last student out. "That was very philosophical, Professor Benson." Amanda jokes, a small smirk forming on her lips.

"I expect a three page essay on today's lesson on my desk by monday." Olivia jokes back, leaning against the large desk and crossing her arms over her chest. They sit in silence for a moment before Olivia slaps the tops of her thighs with her hands. "I believe you have some brilliant photography to show me?" She arches a brow, tilting her head towards the projector screen.

Amanda scoffs, pulling her laptop out of her bag, "I wouldn't say brilliant-"

"I would."

The younger woman gapes, unknowing of what to say in return.

"Give yourself the credit you _so rightfully_ deserve, Amanda. Your photos are brilliant."

And right in this moment, Amanda has never wanted to kiss anyone harder than she does Olivia. Waves of confusion and attraction and everything are crashing around in her body, and the tide is pulling her in closer to this woman. To Olivia Benson.

"Yes ma'am." Is all the blonde can choke out.

"Good. Let's bluetooth that laptop to the projector." She walks to the top of the classroom and hits a few buttons on the projector, in in seconds, Amanda's home screen is blown up in the large room. "Hit the second light switch please?" Olivia asks, making her way back down.

Amanda complies immediately, dimming the lighting in the room. She and Olivia sit in the third row, far enough to see the screen perfectly. She hasn't really decided on what she want's to show Olivia yet, but she figured she'd just show her what was on the laptop's memory.

"I've been looking forward to this all day," Olivia smiles softly, turning her head to look at Amanda. If she sees the deep blush on the younger woman's cheeks, she ignores it, instead smiling a little wider.

"Me too. I always like sharing my photos with people."

"Well, show me what you've got."

Amanda opens her file, avoiding looking at Olivia who has her eyes fixated on the large screen in front of them. The shorter woman carefully looks at the file names, making sure she doesn't open something she doesn't want Olivia seeing. Finally, she finds the photos she took when hiking during the summer, and pulls them up.

"Wow," Olivia immediately croons, leaning forward slightly. "The contrast of the dark forest and the sun rays makes the photo look almost.. I don't know, magical. Like something from a fantasy movie."

Surprisingly, that's what it looked like in person too. It also started raining about an hour later so we had to run back to the car." Amanda chuckles, clicking to the next photo.

"We?"

Before Amanda could reply, a photo of her younger sister Kim popped onto the screen. Her hair was drenched and she had a big smile on her face, like she'd been laughing. The rain was coming down hard and you could tell they were running but the photo was clear, you could see every detail.

Amanda stares at the photo, completely shocked that she'd forgotten that it was still on her memory drive, and she zones out. That had been the last weekend she spent with her sister before shipping her off to rehab.

"Amanda, who is that?" She hears Olivia prod softly. When she doesn't answer, she feels a soft hand on her knee, squeezing comfortingly. Comfortingly meaning she was projecting a feeling that was most likely concerning.

"Honey?"

The nickname snapped her out of her melancholic trance and she turns her head to look at the woman sitting next to her. She clears her throat and plasters on a smile, "Sorry. That uh- that's my younger sister Kim."

"Why'd you space out like that?" Olivia asks, nothing but genuine curiosity and concern etched on her beautiful face.

"I just haven't seen her in a while. She's in- she's away in rehab."

Olivia's eyes widen and her brows furrow, "Rehab? She doesn't look older than 17."

Amanda purses her lips and looks at the screen, eyes fixed on her sister. "She's 16. Nothing like a group of shitty friends and a bag of blow to start you on the right path to destruction." She jokes bitterly, tapping the 'next' button on her laptop. This was the opposite of how she hoped this _date_ with Olivia would go. She let out a sigh and motioned towards the screen, a whole new set of photos displayed.

"This collection was featured in Amateur Photographer's online magazine. I named it "Four Seasons." There are a set of four photos, two in two rows. On them are close ups of what seem to be the same kind of leaf, except each color theme and tone were different. A warm one, a bright one, a dark one and a frozen one.

She knows that Olivia is smart enough to pick up on the change in subject, and is grateful when the older woman smiles, "Wow, a magazine? These are wonderful. Was this a big moment for you?" She asked, eyes never leaving the photos on the screen.

"It was. I got a letter in the mail one day from AP Magazine saying that they liked my work, and wanted me to do a photo op for their seasonal edition. I have a copy of the magazine at home, I'll bring it to you on monday and you can see what all is included. It was a great experience."

Olivia smiles brightly and leans in slightly, "Oh, I bet."

The air seems lighter, and any thought of Kim was erased mostly as the two women talk about each photo that is cast up on the screen.

…

It's nearly five o'clock when they finish. Olivia gets up and flips the light back on. She walks over to the desk and grabs her work bag and purse, then turns towards the younger woman.

"I'm so glad you showed me these, Amanda, really. I'm very impressed with your skill, you've got a true, natural talent here."

Amanda blushes and laughs lightly, "Well it's my _only_ skill, so I try to use it as much as I can." She stuffs her laptop back in her bag and they walk side by side out of Olivia's class room. "Are you done for the day?" She asks the brunette, hoping to mask the disappointment at the thought of them having to go their separate ways.

"I am." Olivia replies, locking the classroom door and hooking both purse and work bag over a shoulder.

Amanda nods, shoving her hands in her back pocket. They walk at a slow pace down the nearly empty hallway in silence, both women are eager to fill the quiet. Just as Amanda's about to speak, Dean Tucker approaches, an odd look on his face. _Is he smiling?_

"Professor Benson!" He greets, what definitely is a wide smile on his face. He looks towards Amanda and unsuccessfully attempts to hide his confusion. "Amanda Rollins.. I didn't know you two knew each other." He looks back at Olivia. Amanda nearly gasps when she sees the older man's eyes flit briefly over the brunette's body. Turns out she wasn't the only one with a crush on Professor Benson.

"Yes, we know each other," Olivia smiles politely, flashing adoring eyes at the younger woman. "What can I do for you, Dean Tucker?" She asks, keeping her tone professional.

Suddenly, Amanda feels entirely too uncomfortable, and is eager to leave the situation. Deep down though, she has a bad feeling that if she leaves, Olivia will be stuck with Dean Tucker and his wandering eyes that can't seem to help themselves.

"Just wondering how you're doing here, since it's your first term working with us at Siena."

"Oh, it's lovely. I'm doing fantastic. Everyone's been so.. Welcoming." She says sweetly, eyes drifting towards Amanda once again. The tone in which Olivia said _welcoming_ had a suggestive ring to it, and it made the younger woman's toes curl. The blonde fights the urge to smile smugly at Dean Tucker, who is seemingly oblivious at how uncomfortable both women are. If he'd seen the slightly suggestive interaction between the two women, he didn't acknowledge it.

"That's wonderful. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to contact me," He smiles, "I'll let you get to your evening now, have a great weekend." He lets his eyes wander once again then nods in the direction of Amanda and stalks off, stride wide as if he were showing off.

Amanda lets out a breath through pursed lips and is the first one to speak. "And there you have it folks," She mocks, "Real footage of a male Peacock spreading his feathers in his mating dance."

Olivia gasps in shock, not expecting Amanda's words, then laughs. Her hand slides onto Amanda's shoulder and the younger woman tingles at the contact. They both laugh then, unbelieving at how transparent the older man had been.

Olivia calms, shaking her head. "That was funny." She murmurs around bits of laughter, and Amanda's cheeks redden again.

"Looks like you have yourself a suitor now, _Professor."_ Amanda jokes in attempt to hide her jealousy.

Olivia scowls and shakes her head. "He's not really my type." She pulls her glasses off of her face and tucks them in the neck of her blouse. Amanda's eyes are drawn to the exposed skin there, she can see a hint of cleavage and it takes everything in her to tear her gaze away. When she looks back up at Olivia, the older woman's dark eyes are set onto her own. She'd seen her.

She plays it off, moving her eyes to the floor. "Not your type, huh? Why, is he too old? Too transparent?"

Olivia smirks and tilts her head. "He's a man." She answers.

"Right." It takes a minute, and then it clicks.

 _Well, shit._

Amanda's head snaps up and they lock eyes immediately. Blue and Brown connecting in a new way.

"I'll see you Monday, _Amanda Rollins."_ She drawls, smirking, and before Amanda can reply, she saunters off towards the staircase, heels clicking loudly on the tile floor. Amanda's eyes are drawn to a lower part of the woman's body as she walks away, and suddenly, she loves the jeans better than the skirts.

The blonde had learned two things about Olivia Benson today.

One, she likes to have the last word.

Two, she likes women.

 **Now we're getting to the good stuff! I hope I'm still doing alright.. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter!**

 **Anna**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five.**

The weekend passed, uneventful for the young woman as usual. She spent most of the time cleaning her already tidy apartment and editing already edited photos. She'd be lying if she said she didn't go back to look at the photos of Olivia she now had on her memory card. She'd gone over in her head all weekend their conversation before the older woman had walked away, leaving the blonde in a state of curiosity and shock.

The more she got to know the professor, the more intrigued and attracted she was. Who wouldn't be? Olivia's a strong, sexy, intelligent, confident woman, it was almost impossible not to fall under her charming spell.

Amanda had left her apartment early monday morning, wanting to get some photos of the city before work. She was now snapping photos of a small pond in a park next to the school, zooming in and out on different objects.

She was crouching down, at the bank of the pond, zooming in on a duck and her babies, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looks over, seeing heeled feet and long, tan, smooth legs. She looks up slowly, eyes stopping at amused brown ones.

"Olivia.. W-what are you doing here?" She stood up, eyes focusing on her camera. This was probably the second or third time she'd got caught staring, and it was probably starting to get old.

"Here? At a park near the school? You know- I don't know, now that you ask." She jokes, eyebrow arched over the rim of her black glasses. She lets out a short laugh at the resigned look on the younger woman's face. "I come here sometimes during free periods or before classes to relax."

"Ah. Well it's a very pretty park, I've never been to this one." Amanda squints against the sun a bit, looking around the area. There weren't many people out today, which was nice. Amanda didn't like being surrounded by strangers, she didn't do well in crowds.

"Really?" Olivia asks, shock in her voice. "It's really close to the school, I'd think you'd have taken photos here or something."

"No, I don't usually come this way when I come to work."

"We can go on a walk sometime then. I want to watch you take photos." She tells the blonde confidently, a wide smile on her face. Another thing Amanda learned about the older woman was that she doesn't hide anything. She says what she want's shamelessly. It was unbelievably attractive.

"Yeah.. Yeah that sounds nice." Amanda smiles softly, briefly taking note of the brunette's attire. She's wearing her usual skirt, blouse and stilettos. She always looks perfect. "Do you wanna go back to the sidewalk? It can't be comfortable standing on grass in those."

Olivia tilts her head briefly, then lets out a curt 'ah', looking down at her thin heeled shoes. "Please, I could run a marathon in these. But sure, you can walk me to campus." She smirks, tugging Amanda's sleeve in the direction of the sidewalk. Amanda follows the older woman immediately. A thought flitted through her mind, and it was a bit terrifying; she'd do anything Olivia asked her to.

They fell into an even stride, the sound of other patrons and cars, and the light click of the brunette's heels on the pavement. Olivia was the first to speak, adjusting her purse strap and looking over at her companion, "When did you start doing photography?" She asks curiously, tucking a strand of golden brown hair behind her ear. Amanda fights the urge to knock the older woman's hand away and do it herself. She would run her fingers through that soft hair for hours on end.

"Oh, since I was real little. My mama bought me a disposable camera when I was like.. Five, and ever since then I've been taking pictures of everything." She replies, smiling at the small memory.

Olivia's smile grows, "Your accent.. I didn't notice you have one.."

"It's practically gone now. I moved here from Atlanta when I was ten." Amanda had tried to lose the accent in high school, she'd get made fun of and called names, and it was something that didn't hold any good value.

"It's cute." Came Olivia's reply, and Amanda holds back the urge to tell her it's not cute.

She looks forward, trying desperately not to blush, wondering if Olivia knew what she did to her. If she knew and did it on purpose, just to get a rise out of the blonde, to tease her. Amanda doubts that that's the case, though, and send the thought to the back of her mind.

"Where are you from?" Amanda asks, deciding that a subject change was due.

"Born and raised here. I've never been out of New York. Well, other than Massachusetts and New Jersey."

Amanda lets out a shocked whistle. "So much knowledge for someone who's been mostly secluded."

Olivia chuckles, "The wonder of books." The sound of the older woman's laughter is quickly becoming Amanda's favorite sound, something she want's to hear everyday.

"If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?" Amanda asks as they approach campus. It's a desperate attempt to prolong their time together, knowing that they have to part soon. She also knew that she'd see Olivia again soon, they'd spent every second they could together, and it was something Amanda looked forward to every day. She'd work every saturday if it meant she could see Olivia for a longer period of time.

"Hmm." Olivia hums, biting her bottom lip. The sight distracts Amanda and she's suddenly forgotten what it was that she asked the taller woman. "I think maybe Greece. It's so beautiful and the culture is just so.. so .. indescribable. I can butcher the language, I tried my hand at learning in college." She laughs, stopping in front of the entrance closer to her classroom.

The blonde tears her eyes away from the other woman's lips and clears her throat, a small smile growing on her lips in attempt to hide her nerves. "Greek, huh? Impressive. I know one language. English. Anyone who knows more has my utmost respect." She jokes.

"I know four fluently." Olivia smirks proudly, arching a teasing eyebrow.

"No shit," Amanda mutters in amazement. "What languages?"

Olivia leans against a pillar near the doors, inhaling, "French, Italian, Spanish and English."

"Wow." Amanda's eyes widen. And she thought Olivia was already exceedingly attractive. Something about the older woman speaking a foreign language was an _immense_ turn on. "You're- that's amazing, Olivia. I couldn't learn a new language if I tried." She chuckles shyly, shaking her head.

Olivia steps closer, and her scent fills the younger woman's nose. She smells exquisite, uniquely like flowers and vanilla. "I could teach you. The selection is limited but I can teach a mean Italian." Her voice drops a little, almost unnoticeably. Amanda nearly collapses at their proximity. She can't stop her eyes from drifting towards the other woman's plump lips, nearly ignoring the urge not to lean forward and touch them with her own. It would be so easy to close that remaining distance between them.

"I'd like that." She murmurs, subtly inching closer to the older woman.

Olivia hums in agreeance dark eyes deepening a shade.

They're torn from the moment when Amanda's phone goes off, the alarm she'd set earlier that day, signaling that it's time to head to work. They step away from each other, creating much needed space and the younger woman pushes out a shaky breath.

This was getting bad.

…

"Wow, you're _early!"_ Coraline boasts, garnering an eye roll from the younger woman.

"Don't act so surprised. I was taking photos at the park on the other side of campus, so I was close." Amanda replies. She squeezes the old woman's shoulder lightly, a silent hello, and moves past her to the back room.

After clocking in and putting her things away, she makes her way back to the front counter. She's happy to be here at work, able to occupy herself for a few hours. She desperately wants the memory of being so close to Olivia, smelling her sweet scent, inching towards her deliciously plump lips, out of her brain. It was causing a shortage in her body. She didn't need to be feeling like this for a woman who was so out of reach.

She humored herself, wondering if she'd be able to distance herself from Olivia. It seemed highly unlikely. If she didn't though, she'd fall deeper, and it was a scary thought. Nothing hurt worse than wanting someone you couldn't have.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Coraline asked, making Amanda jump. She'd forgotten she wasn't alone.

She lets out a breathy chuckle, turning away from her boss' gaze. "Uh.. it's nothing." She shakes her head.

"Obviously that's not true. C'mon, honey. Something's troublin' ya." The older woman prodded gently, leaning against the counter. Amanda wasn't getting out of this.

"I just.. It's embarrassing."

"Is it about that professor?"

Amanda's eyes widen and she doesn't reply, too shocked to really say anything.

"I'll take that as a reluctant yes." Coraline laughs good naturedly. Amanda glares at the older woman but lets out an exasperated sigh. No use in denying it.

"It's pathetic. She's a professional, beautiful woman and I'm barely an adult. She doesn't want some _kid_ drooling over her like a puppy. Dean Tucker was even hitting on her. She's better off with someone her own age and with the same knowledge as her. I've got a masters and I still work in a school Library." She winces at the last part, taking note of the old woman's arched eyebrow. "I love working here, but I my masters is in Photography and I'm still doing amateur shoots. I've got nothing to offer that woman."

"You, young lady, are blinder than a bat."

The blonde scrunches her nose, "What?"

"You'd stare at that woman all day and still not notice how she just stares right back. Although she's a little less obvious than you are, but she stares _all_ the same. She looks at you like you're a damn snack. Stop being a scaredy cat and talk to the woman, you're both adults. Buck up."

Coraline, the woman who has no filter.

"Jesus." Amanda mutters, cheeks turning pink from embarrassment. "Does she really look at me like that?" She asks in curiosity.

"You callin' me a liar?" The older woman grins, "I know attraction when I see it, kid. Back in my day, we didn't just dance around it and avoid it. If a boy wanted me and I wanted him, I went for it. That's how I got my Don. We were _honest_ about our feelings."

"What if I'm honest and she doesn't want me? I don't know if I can be okay after that. I don't know if I can risk it. I like having her in my life and if I tell her how I feel and she doesn't feel the same, our friendship is as good as over. She's like.. 15 years older than I am, it seems impossible." Amanda shakes her head, tying her hair up in a loose ponytail.

"You young people. So scared that you'll fail, you won't even try. Age doesn't matter when feelings are real."

Amanda knows Coraline is right, she knows that in all the years she's known this woman, she'd never lied nor let her down. "I just-"

" _No_ , 'justs, buts, ifs, whats, hows, whys or maybes!' Only 'Do's'. You aren't gonna get what you want in life if you sit down and watch it pass you by. The worst that can happen is she'll turn you down and you'll be an adult about it and continue to be her friend. I don't need to tell you the best cassinerio, do I?"

Amanda shakes her head, running her fingers through her, now ruined, ponytail. "Fine Coraline, I'll- I'll tell Olivia. I just-"

"Tell Olivia what?"

 **I'm no good at cliffhangers but I wanna see what you all think will happen! Leave a review with your idea on what you think will happen next! I've already started chapter six, and it's right where I left off here, so no worries! You aren't missing a thing ;)**

 **Anna**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six.**

 _"Tell Olivia what?"_

Both young and old women turn to see Olivia standing there, eyebrow arched, a look of slight concern etched on her beautiful face. Nobody speaks as brown eyes snap to blue, "Amanda?" She prods, arms crossing over her chest. She obviously isn't going anywhere until someone speaks.

Amanda's breath is lost, she's unable to move or speak or do anything productive. Instead, Coraline chimes in. "Professor Benson! Can I help you with something?" She asks politely. Amanda knows that it's an attempt to change the subject but she also knows that Olivia is a dog with a bone when she wants to be.

"Yes.. I'd like to know what's going on? What do you need to tell Olivia?" Her eyes move back to Amanda; the younger woman can tell that the brunette is growing worried and impatient. She lets out a sigh and walks around the counter.

"Coraline, I'll be back." She mutters, taking Olivia's hand in hers and leading her to the other end of the library, away from prying ears.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Olivia asks, her free hand brushing Amanda's arm comfortingly.

Amanda laughs shakily, "Nothing's wrong, I'm just having trouble with something. Coraline was trying to help me find the courage to.. To be honest with you." She busies her shaking hands, taking her messy ponytail out and she looks anywhere but in the eyes of the woman she's falling for.

Olivia waits patiently for the other woman to continue.

"Don't you have a class to teach?" Amanda blurts. It's a dry attempt, she knows it won't derail Olivia's curiosity.

"In twenty minutes." Olivia replies deftly, stepping closer. "Just tell me what you need to be honest about." Her fingers brush both sides of Amanda's shirt sleeve, and somehow, it sends a rush of confidence through her.

"I um. I don't know an easier way to say this.. So I'm just gonna come right out with it." She begins, taking a deep breath. "I'm very.. _Attracted_.. To you.." She stutters out, eyes downcast. "And I think I have feelings for you." She finishes quietly.

When there's no reply, she looks up, eyes searching unreadable brown ones. Her mouth opens and closes, desperately trying to find the right words to say, but nothing comes. "Olivia?"

A smile spreads across the older woman's face, "That's what this whole thing was about?"

Amanda's mouth snaps shut, eyes wide, and she pulls away from Olivia's lingering hands, " _That's what_ \- Are you serious? I just nearly shat my pants, telling you that I have f-"

She is silenced by sudden movement, it takes her a minute to realize that Olivia's spun her around and has her pressed against the wall. Amanda panics momentarily, eyes darting around to see if anyone is watching, but is relieved to see that there is a set of bookshelves obstructing anyone's view of whatever is going on.

"I get to talk now, okay?" Olivia murmurs, face dangerously close to the younger woman's. Their bodies are a hair's-width from each other, every time one of them breathes, their breasts brush together in a delicious friction.

Amanda nods quickly, not speaking. She waits for Olivia to start.

"I've known.. Amanda.." She pauses, her big, brown eyes digging deep into blue ones, "I knew the second we met."

"Knew what?" Amanda whispers, willing tears to stay in their ducts. She doesn't know why she's on the verge of crying, but she ignores it.

"That you'd be the one to ignite the fire in me that I thought was burnt out." She whispers back, voice raspy with emotion. She removes the space between them, pressing their bodies together, and Amanda doesn't stop her hands from dragging slowly up the older woman's hips and stopping at her waist. She wants to kiss Olivia, she wants to press her mouth against those soft, plump lips and never pull away. "I realized immediately why I just had to work at this school.. That it wasn't just for the great pay, or the automatic tenure, or the location. It's because you're here. And the moment you looked at me, there was no going back."

Amanda breaths out, a pressure relieved from her chest and heart. Tears betray her and slide down her cheeks. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Why didn't _you_?" Olivia retorts, and Amanda understands.

The younger woman lets out a small laugh, pulling the older woman into her body tighter. She inhales the intoxicating scent of the other woman and sighs. "So what happens now?" She asks, looking into Olivia's dark eyes.

"I don't know. I haven't dated in years."

Those words send chills up Amanda's spine. _They're going to date. Be together._

"Maybe.." Olivia continues, "We should exchange numbers. That way, this isn't the only place we can communicate." She nods her head in the direction of the Library entrance.

"Right."

They pull apart and Amanda hands Olivia her phone. She watches as the older woman sends herself a text then hands it back. "There." The older woman murmurs, eyes gazing adoringly at the younger woman.

Olivia tilts her head, looking at the time on the phone screen and taps her hips with her hands. "I have to go.. Class starts in five minutes."

Amanda nods, "Okay." Watching the older woman turn. In a split second, she shakes off her nerves and grabs Olivia's wrist, "Wait."

She doesn't give Olivia time to react or speak as she grasps the older woman's cheeks softly with her palms and brings their lips together. Her brain nearly explodes at the contact, unbelieving that she's actually kissing this woman. She's complete mush when Olivia cups the back of her head, fingers winding around soft hair. The younger woman's whole body nearly combusts when Olivia deepens it, parting her plush lips against the younger woman's. They press their bodies closer together, tongues brushing lightly against each other. Amanda will never forget how exquisite Olivia tastes.

Olivia is the first to pull away, eyes dark in a concoction of arousal and amusement. "Let's do that again. When I'm not in a hurry and we're not in a library, okay?" She purrs, thumb wiping smudged lipstick off of Amanda's bottom lip.

Amanda nods dumbly and watches as the older woman wipes her own lips clean and saunters off.

…

For the rest of the day, she was floating. She knew Coraline was dying to know what happened while they were talking, but she didn't pry. The blonde owed this woman a hell of a lot, especially since her hard truth had given her the courage to tell Olivia how she really feels.

She's typing up overdue letters when she feels a curious gaze radiating onto the back of her head. She smirks and rolls her eyes, "Ask, Coraline." She permits, not halting her typing nor taking her eyes off the computer screen.

"How'd it go?" The older woman burst, leaning against the counter next to Amanda.

"It went well. We're on the same page." The blonde gives, turning her body to face her boss. She arched a blonde brow when Coraline scoffed.

"I'll say. That's a real pretty shade of lipstick, Mandy. Did you borrow it from Olivia?"

Amanda's eyes widen and she gasps, covering her mouth. The smug look on Coraline's face irritates her to no end, and she grumbles. "The application was the best part." She snaps, grinning when it's Coraline's turn to gasp.

…

It's later in the evening when Amanda's phone goes off. She's curled up on her couch with her laptop on a TV tray in front of her, editing the photos she took earlier that day.

She unlocks her phone and smiles, seeing that the text is from Olivia.

 ** _Just got home. I thought I could get all the grading done there. Wrong. I need a TA._**

She bites her lip and types up a quick response.

 _Were you distracted today?_

She knows it's a dumb question, but she just can't get their kiss- their fantastically delicious kiss- out of her head. It occupied her mind all day long.

 ** _A little. No more kisses before class. I'm useless at that point._**

Amanda now knew that the kiss affected Olivia the same way it affected her, and she couldn't stop the rush of goosebumps. Her reply made her feel a little desperate, but she'd be lying if she said she doesn't want to kiss this woman again. Over and over and over.

 _So when CAN I kiss you? We only see each other before or in between classes._

 ** _How about when you let me watch you take photos? We can go somewhere pretty.._**

 _When are you free?_

 ** _No classes on Saturday._**

Amanda's heart rate picks up. She's going to see Olivia on Saturday. Without the school setting. And there will be kissing. It's a juvenile thought but she just can't help it. Those lips.

 _Saturday it is. :)_

 ** _I'm going to shower and head to bed. I'm glad you were honest with me today._**

 _I'm really glad too. Goodnight, Dr. Professor Benson._

 ** _Goodnight… Mandy._**

The blonde's eyes widen. Where had Olivia heard that nickname? Surly she didn't just think to call her that on her own. Her brain immediately told her she probably overheard Coraline calling her that. She goes over their texts again, shivers shooting up and down her spine. She bites her lip at the inappropriate thought of Olivia, naked in her shower, water gliding down that amazing body. She had a killer figure, even with her clothes on; the thought of her nude body was Amanda's new kryptonite.

She shakes her head, hitting the off button on her phone and tossing it beside her. Those thoughts are for later in their relationship. They're still too new to be thinking of anything sexual. That's what she'll tell herself every time a naughty thought crosses her mind. Too soon. Too soon. Too soon.

She checks the time on her laptop and blows out an exasperated breath. 8:23 PM. It's only Monday. She groans.

The days leading up to Saturday are going to be long ones.

 **Short, but I think the contents makes up for it. Shoutout to B for helping me a little with the direction of this chapter! ;)**

 **To the reviewers who want to see more SVU characters; I'm really working on it! Since it's so AU, and my OTP is Rolivia, it's harder for me to write in the characters I don't obsess over. But trust me, I'm not ignoring anyone's requests, I'm trying very hard to think up some ways I can fit other characters in! Thank you all for the lovely words and let me know what you think of this update! I post frequently because you review frequently.. So.. you know how to get your next update. *Eyes review box***


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven.**

It's now Thursday morning, and Amanda's wheeling around a cart, putting books back in their spots when her phone chimes. She shelves a few more books before pulling it out of her back pocket and leaning against the side of a bookshelf. A smile spreads on her face when she sees that it's Olivia.

 _ **What time is your lunch break?**_

She types up a quick response.

 _Whenever I want as long as it stays under an hour._

She stares at the chat bubbles, feeling butterflies when the three dots pop up, signaling that Olivia is replying. Seconds later, another grey bubble.

 _ **I'll take you to lunch at 12:30 then. My treat.**_

 _I'll meet you outside the Library._

She shuts her phone off, not bothering hiding her smile. She turns and looks at the large clock located above the checkout station, seeing that it's 11:34. She'd see Olivia for the first time in a few days, in just under an hour.

Turning back to her books, she busies herself in an attempt to pass the time.

…

An hour later, she waits patiently for Olivia to arrive. All week, she'd been wondering how this stunning woman would want _her._ It seemed impossible that they were here, going to lunch together, texting, flirting. She'd never forget that kiss on monday. The passion, the way Olivia kissed her told the younger woman that she had a fire in her, something that she doesn't know if she's able to keep up with. She'll try like hell though. She'd be crazy not to.

"Amanda," She hears behind her, and she spins around, the smile she had earlier returning.

Today, Olivia's wearing a dark burgundy pencil skirt and a white pinstripe sweater, the sleeves stopping just under her elbow. Her white heels complete the look and Amanda doesn't shy away from looking. Olivia knows, there's no use in hiding the attraction.

Olivia smirks, tucking a strand of straight brown hair behind her ear.

Amanda suddenly feels too underdressed in her jeans and baseball tee. She smiles sheepishly, "You look nice."

Olivia shoulders her purse and pulls out her sunglasses, sliding them onto the top of her head. "If I wasn't so used to dressing like this, I'd be uncomfortable. You've no idea how badly I want to just show up in jeans and a t shirt." She chuckles. Amanda's surprised when the older woman links their fingers together and pulls her towards the exit.

"Why don't you?" She asks, fingers tightening around Olivia's.

They walk down the sidewalk, hand in hand. Olivia laughs lightly, "I get taken more seriously if I dress like I know what I'm doing." She jokes, slipping her glasses off and replacing them with her sunglasses.

Amanda takes Olivia's black frames, holding them over her eyes and squinting. "Damn, Liv. You're blind." She sticks a hand out in front of her, laughing when she can barely see a clear outline of each finger.

"Did you just call me Liv?" The older woman asks, voice full of surprise.

Amanda lowers both hands, "Did I? I'm sorry, Do you-"

"I like it."

"Has nobody ever called you that?"

She shook her head and shrugged. "My mother was the only one who had a nickname for me really." She clears her throat and looks ahead. Pointing to a small cafe, she pulls the younger woman in that direction, "This place has wonderful food. And Coffee."

They were quiet after that; it wasn't until they were settled in a small booth near the back when Amanda spoke again. "Well. You know my only nickname apparently, so let's hear _your_ only nickname."

Olivia smiled, pretty white teeth showing. "How about I let you guess."

Amanda arched an eyebrow, "There's like a billion things it could be. How about giving me a hint?"

The waiter came and took their orders before Olivia could reply, but when he left, the older woman leans forward, elbows crossed on the table. "It's part of my name." She squints her brown eyes challengingly and bites her lip, holding back a smile.

"Part of your name, huh?" Amanda drawls, leaning forward as well, their faces a few inches apart. "Livvie?" She guesses, and Olivia shakes her head no. "Olive." Another no. "..Ollie?" No. "C'mon, _Livvie._ Just tell me. There's only so much I can guess with your name." Her eyes drift to the other woman's lips briefly before darting back up to big brown ones.

"I'll kiss you if you can guess it." Olivia purrs innocently. Amanda straightens immediately.

"You drive a hard bargain, lady." The younger woman says, southern twang making it's presence. "Okay let me think." She squints, running the letters of the brunette's name through her head quickly. "Oh! Via?" She tilts her head curiously. She notices something cross the other woman's face. She's close. "It's something with a V, isn't it." She smirks, leaning in close. "Via? Vi?"

There it is.

Olivia smiles, cheeks turning pink. "It only took-" She counts on her finger exaggeratedly, " _five_ times."

"I was more motivated towards the end." Amanda retorts. "So your mom called you Vi?"

"That she did." Olivia nods, a hint of nostalgia in her words. Amanda doesn't want to pry, but she wonders if the older woman's relationship with her mother was a rough one. She could definitely relate if so.

"Mine called me Mandy. So does my sister and everyone else in Atlanta." The younger woman rolls her eyes. "It sounds like the name of.. A stripper or a little girl." The blonde scrunches her nose, garnering a laugh out of the other woman. "I think Liv suits you though."

"Well. It's yours to call me." Olivia smiles.

The waiter approaches then, setting down their drinks and plates. "Let me know if you need anything else." He smiles politely before leaving the two women to their lunch.

They eat fairly quick, seeing as they only have about thirty minutes to get back to the Library. They keep light conversation, swapping bites, playfully stealing something from the others' plate. When they're done, Olivia pays, denying anything Amanda tries to help with. By the time they're on school grounds, it's nearing 1:20.

"Perfect timing," Olivia mutters, slipping on her glasses as they approach the entrance by the library. Amanda goes to give a goodbye hug, murmuring a quick 'thank you' for the lunch, but Olivia stops her, pushing her towards a semi-secluded corner. "I believe I promised someone a kiss."

"That's _right."_ Amanda hums, trying desperately to hide her nerves.

Olivia smiles, grasping the shorter woman's chin lightly and tilting her head up. Amanda licks her lips just as the older woman presses hers against them, causing her tongue to brush against Olivia's bottom lip.

Olivia gasps softly, then presses her mouth fully against Amanda's. Her fingers spread out over the blonde's jaw, keeping her in place, and Amanda's hands slide slowly around Olivia's hips to her lower back.

They pull away a few slow moments later, breathless, eyes never breaking contact.

She didn't know it's possible for this kiss to be better than the first one, but it is, and she so desperately wants to do it again. And again. And never ever stop. "I thought that it was supposed to be just a simple, little kiss." Amanda whispers, fingers tightening on Olivia's lower back.

"You're the one who brought out tongue," Olivia purrs, eyes dipping down to the younger woman's plump lips.

"That was an accident."

"Mmm." Olivia hums, "Was it?"

"Yes. But this time's not." Amanda breathes, bringing Olivia's lips back to hers. She wastes no time, delving her tongue in between the older woman's lips. Olivia doesn't hold back a soft moan this time.

…

Amanda's stacking the magazines and cleaning up the sitting area when she feels someone move up behind her. She stands and turns, seeing that it's Dean Tucker.

"Dean Tucker! Hi. What are you.."

The older man tilts his head and scoffs. "I've seen a lot in my day, Rollins. Especially working at a college. But.. I just don't see what Olivia- _Professor_ Benson sees in you. You're a kid." Amanda's eyes widen and she straightens her back. This is completely unexpected.

She's shocked silent for many moments, and Tucker takes that time to continue. "I saw the two of you kissing outside the Library entrance. You may think it's something great now, an older woman wanting you, but trust me. She's scratching an itch."

The younger woman is completely stunned, wondering where this came from, and why he'd decided _now_ to be inappropriate. "With all due respect, sir, I think you're a little out of line," She mutters, eyes darting towards the exit. She want's to run. Be anywhere but here.

"What's out of line is this thing between you and Benson. You work together-"

"No.. No we don't. Not really. Two completely different departments, there's no interference." She backs up slightly and shakes her head. "I appreciate you warning me, but I'm an _adult,_ I'm perfectly capable of making my own choices, and I'm more than happy to _scratch that itch_ for her. Thanks for stopping by. I have to get back to work." She pushed past him, hoping he'd take that as the cue to leave, but instead, he calls out.

"If this continues, you won't have work to get back to."

She stops in her tracks. Is he really threatening to fire her? For dating Olivia? She turns around, mouth agape. She can't cry in this moment, she can't show that she's being affected. "Dean Tucker.." She rasps, "Firing me won't make me end things with Olivia. What it _will_ do, is make you lose a staff member."

"One of the hardest workin' ones you have!"

Amanda turns to see Coraline speeding out from the back room.

"Now Ed, do you really think that that's a good idea? Firing someone over something as.. As _high school_ as this?"

The older man grunts, "I won't have my staff dating."

"Oh, so you wouldn't date Olivia given the chance?" She snaps back, hand on her hip. Amanda knows Coraline's been here long enough to know when to speak and when not to. She'd never seen her stick up to Dean Tucker. "Don't give me that BS."

Dean Tucker grinds his teeth, jaw clenching in frustration. He looks towards Amanda, eyes hard. "Watch your back, Rollins." He grumbles before turning on his heels and stalking out of the library.

"That man's as salty as ever." Coraline shakes her head. She looks at Amanda, her face softening. "Mandy, what he said wasn't true." The blonde turns around, struggling to keep her composure.

She nods, "Yeah. Uh.. I-I know."

"That woman looks at you like my Donny looks at licorice. He loves his licorice."

The younger woman laughs then, feeling slightly relieved that the older man is gone.

She can't help but wonder if what he said had some truth to it. Olivia could have anybody she wants, she's beautiful, smart and wise. She wondered if the older woman really is just _scratching an itch,_ and if she is, why does it have to be Amanda? She can only offer less than the best.

"C'mon. Lets sort through these books together, honey." Coraline smiles, tugging the younger woman towards a new cart.

 **Thank you, B, for trying to convince me that this is a good chapter. I still feel otherwise, but here I am, posting it anyways. If you all enjoyed it, please let me know. If you didn't, be gentile.. Next chapter will be up soon.**

 **Anna**


	8. Chapter 8

**So.. I wanted to try something a little different. To get the full effect of Olivia's feelings and reaction to when Amanda tells her what Tucker had said. So this chapter is mostly in Olivia's POV. Hopefully you all like it.**

 **Chapter 8**

Amanda's troubled. She can tell by the way the younger woman avoids eye contact. The minimal touch and faint smiles. Olivia desperately wants to sale the younger woman, ask her what's wrong and why she's suddenly pulling away, but she refrains. Amanda is an adult and if she wants to talk to her, she will.

They didn't have physical contact after their lunch yesterday. The kiss that still made her body tingle in places that laid dormant for so long, she thought weren't functional anymore. Amanda had woken a fire up inside of the older woman with that first kiss, and fueled it with the second.

She'd texted Amanda, asking if she would walk her to her car, but her only reply was, _sorry. I'm already halfway home._

It was completely odd, especially for the eager young woman.

It's now halfway through Friday, and any contact at all was minimal. She's too old to be playing games, too busy and too tired. She know's how much Amanda cares for her, she feels extremely grateful that she has someone like the blonde in her life, and she can't help but care for the younger woman just the same. She hasn't felt this way about someone in so long, that she almost feels scared to fully dive in. But Amanda is different, that risk feels worth it.

But not if this retracting thing that Amanda is doing is going to be a consistent thing. The brunette won't allow herself to be put through that kind of emotional stress. Not with Amanda.

She sighs, running her fingers through her brown waves, hands resting on the top of her head. She's hiding away in her office, door locked and blinds shut. She sits up and stares at her phone, which sits in the middle of her desk.

Finally, she gives in.

Picking up the phone, she unlocks it and goes to hers and Amanda's messages. Without letting herself scare away from texting, she quickly types and hits send, locking the phone once more.

She was curt and clear with her text. _Amanda, please come to my office. I'll be waiting._

She only hopes the younger woman will listen.

It's a grueling twenty minutes later when a soft knock interrupts her whirring thoughts. She bolts up, unlocking the door quickly and swinging it open. The relief that floods her body when she sees the younger woman's small smile is almost crippling.

"Come in," She clears her throat, hoping to choke down the concoction of emotion. She waits for Amanda to say something first, sitting on the edge of her desk patiently. She picks at the hem of her light brown sweater, and when Amanda doesn't say anything, she speaks up. "What's going on?" She doesn't mean to sound so sharp, but it comes out like that. She softens her features when Amanda flinches. "You.. Something's off. Please talk to me." She continues more gently.

"Dean Tucker.. Uh. He saw us kissing yesterday. In front of the Library entrance."

Olivia is silent as her head shakes and brows furrow. "And?"

Amanda gulps. "That doesn't bother you?"

The confusion is now evident on the older woman's face, and she crosses her arms, not sure where this conversation is heading. "Should it? We aren't breaking any regulations." Olivia watched as a flash of relief crossed Amanda's face, and she slid off of the desk, stepping towards the younger woman slowly. "Honey, what happened? Did the Dean say something to you?"

Amanda nodded, looking down in what seemed to be embarrassment.

"What did he say?"

Amanda let a tear fall this time. The first time in front of Olivia ever, and the older woman's concern grew. "Amanda, babe. What did he say to you?" She cupped the younger woman's cheeks softly and brought her eyes up to connect with her own.

"He said that this is a fling for you. That you're a mature older woman who is just using me, a " _kid",_ to scratch an itch."

"What the fuck?" Olivia breathes in astonishment. "What did you say to back?"

"I got angry. I told him that I'd be happy to scratch that itch for you, and he threatened to fire me if you and I continued." She pulled away from the older woman and wiped the damp skin under her eyes. "Then Coraline jumped in and set him straight. I think. I don't know. I just know that no matter how hard I try, I can't keep the thought out of my head that you really do need to blow off some steam or something and I-"

"If you finish that sentence, there's going to be a _big_ problem between us, Amanda." Olivia snaps, cupping the younger woman's chin firmly. Their eyes connected again, and Amanda could see the same fire in her eyes that she saw the first day they met. The flames were directed towards her, licking at her soul and drawing her impossibly close. "I hope you learned enough about me by now to know that I'm an honest woman. I stick to my word." Both women thought back to the kiss yesterday. _I believe I promised someone a kiss._ "And I hope you learn _now_ that when I tell someone that I have feelings for them, it's coming from the deepest part of my heart. Not just to please me sexually and send them off. Send _you_ off." She loosens her grip on the blonde's chin, but doesn't let go completely. "Do you understand me?" She whispers, bringing her body closer to the other woman's.

Amanda nods immediately, "Yea. Yes, I- I understand."

Olivia wastes no time crashing her lips down onto Amanda's, not thinking twice about pushing her tongue against the younger woman's shocked lips. Amanda surprises Olivia when she pushes the older woman back towards her desk, making her sit on the edge. Their tongues duel as Amanda grasps the sides of Olivia's skirt and tugs it up her thighs; just enough to step between the other woman's partially parted legs. Neither have time to think about what they're doing and where they're doing it. Their bodies only focused on one thing: each other.

Olivia breathes in a strangled breath as Amanda's fingers entwine in her hair and yank her head back gently, moving her mouth down the older woman's chin. Her teeth and tongue work diligently on the soft, tan skin of Olivia's neck as the older woman digs her nails into Amanda's lower back.

They shouldn't be doing this, especially knowing that Amanda is due back at work any moment, but they can't seem to break away from each other. They'd gone from 0 to 100 in nanoseconds.

Amanda's hand trails up Olivia's torso, slowly, dragging her sweater up with it. Before she can reach her desired destination though, the inevitable sound of the younger woman's alarm goes off, and she nearly trips, ripping herself from Olivia's body.

She scrambles to turn the offending sound off, and when she finally does, she looks back up at her lover.

Legs exposed, slightly parted, lips swollen and pink, hair mussed, shirt riding up, exposing her tan belly. Completely flushed from their impromptu makeout session.

And for the first time, Amanda hates work. "Sorry," She pants, not knowing what else to say. Olivia watches her eyes flick back down to her overly exposed legs, and she slides back off of the desk. Straightening out her clothes, she notices that half of her things are sprawled across the floor around the large wooden desk.

"Don't ever apologize for kissing me like that."

"Kiss? I nearly devoured you."

"Promise you'll do it again?"

Amanda sinks back into a cushioned leather chair, "Jesus." She breathes, eyes wide and lips parted. They're silent for a moment, letting everything that had just transpired sink in. Amanda blows out a shaky, aroused breath, and attempts to stand up on her wobbly legs. "I better get back to work. Coraline knows I'm here so I can only imagine what that woman is assuming."

"She's probably assuming right." Olivia deadpans.

" _Olivia."_

"Right." She smirks, taking the younger woman's hand. "Please don't pull away when something is troubling you, okay? I want this to work and the only way it really can is if we're completely honest with each other."

Amanda nods, tucking strands of blonde hair behind her ear. "Okay. And again, I'm sorry. I will talk to you next time."

They share one more kiss before Amanda forces herself to leave, not wanting to start anything they weren't ready to finish.

Olivia's left alone, the silence of her empty office almost deafening.

Ed Tucker had stooped so low, he'd threatened the job of someone who'd worked for him loyally for years. And all for what? A date? Sex? A relationship? Olivia respected the man to no ends, she knew he had it in him to be a good person, she didn't doubt that for one second. But the thought that he'd gotten _that_ jealous made her uncomfortable. She'll need to have a talk with him. A professional one. And if he wasn't willing to work with her, she might even have to file a complaint.

She doesn't want it to come to that, especially during her first year of working there.

She let out a sigh and bent down to pick up the things that had been flung off the desk in their mini passion filled romp.

…

Amanda was lucky enough to make it back to her station before Coraline could notice how late she was. She knows that now, she won't be able to really concentrate on her work. Her mind was completely full to the brim; visions of what had just happened in Olivia's office and snippets of their conversation, as well as her conversation with Tucker. It was all so overwhelming. For the most part, where it concerned Olivia, it was a fantastic kind of overwhelming. She expected nothing less than passion from this woman.

But those words that the Dean had said still lingers at the back of her mind. She hopes they'll disappear over time, as her relationship with Olivia grows. The worst thing to happen would be the fear that Olivia would leave once they consummated their relationship, stops both women from fully enjoying each other. It would ruin their partnership, it would shred any chance of trust.

Olivia had reassured her in her office, and that's going to have to suffice for now.

 **I'm just going to do frequent, short chapters. That way I don't have to worry about writing 4k+ in a day lol. Hope you all enjoy this one. Leave me your thoughts!**

 **Anna**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Amanda straightens out her brown leather jacket and takes a deep breath. She's standing outside Olivia's front door, nerves bouncing around frantically inside of her. The older woman had given Amanda her address the night before, and they'd agreed to go to a botanical garden near Olivia's house. It's now late saturday morning, and they're about to have their first date.

She lets out a bated breath and knocks twice. She needs to learn how to act normal around Olivia.

The door swings open seconds later, and she's met with the sight of a flushed Olivia. Her hair is slightly damp, ends curling naturally, framing her face perfectly. She's wearing a short sleeved, mint colored maxi dress with a surprisingly low neckline; although not too low to be considered inappropriate.

Her eyes drift down, unable to control herself. Her skin is tan- everywhere- and incredibly smooth. She tears her eyes away and smiles, "Hi, Liv. You look.. Uh.. you look beautiful." It's only then, when her eyes make it the other woman's face, that she notices how Olivia is sans makeup. Amanda nearly collapses. There's freckles lightly peppering her nose and cheeks, a single freckle on the side of her upper lip. She's never noticed before, most likely because there's usually lipstick covering it.

She desperately wants to kiss that freckle on her lip.

"As do you," Olivia replies, smirking. "Come in, I'm almost finished getting ready."

The younger woman follows her in, and she nearly collapses for a second time; the back of Olivia's dress is nearly nonexistent, it dips all the way down to her lower back. There is miles of caramel skin exposed, and only one thought crosses her mind. She's allowed to look.

"I just need to do something with my hair and grab a sweater and we can go." Olivia rattles off, looking over her shoulder at the younger woman. She motions towards a large chair in the living room, "You can sit there if you want. I'll just be a minute." She smiles, disappearing down her hallway.

Amanda lets out a deep breath. She can do this. She can do this even though Olivia looks like that. She cracks her knuckles nervously, waiting patiently for Olivia to return.

As promised, she returns a few minutes later, hair half up in a clip, a few strands hanging loose in the front. There's still no makeup on her face and the blonde thanks whatever higher power is listening for this little blessing. She has no idea why this woman choses to wear makeup when she looks like _that_ without it.

"How'd you get here?" Olivia asks as she slides on a light cream sweater.

"I took a cab. You don't live too far from me." She replies, standing up and wiping her sweaty palms on her jean clad thighs. She can't seem to tear her eyes away from Olivia. The dress is clinging to her body in all the right places, and it's a tantalizing sight. Her hips, breasts and backside are full under the material and Amanda truly wonders if she'll be able to pay attention to anything Olivia says on this date.

"We can take my car to the garden and I can drive you home later. No need to waste money on a cab." Olivia smiles, grabbing Amanda's hand and pulling her toward the front door.

Her body will probably always tingle when Olivia touches her.

…

Olivia would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. This was their first time seeing each other without having to cut it short due to work. She'd spent an hour looking for the right dress, and by the time Amanda go there, she didn't have time for any makeup. The way the younger woman looked at her told her she didn't need any though.

As they get into her car and buckle up, she can't help but stare at the blonde. "You really are very beautiful." She blurts, cheeks tinting a light pink. Amanda looks over at her, eyebrows raised and a small smile on her lips.

"Thank you," She replies shyly. "I can say the same about you. You should wear no makeup more often." Her eyes widen, "I mean, you know at school.. You look pretty with makeup but you're prettier without-"

"I'll skip makeup when I'm with _you._ " Olivia says smoothly, winking.

The car ride is comfortably silent, occasionally they share an adoring gaze or smile, but mostly, Olivia pays attention to the road. She took the quiet time to think a bit. Ed Tucker had scared Amanda, he'd made her question their new relationship and in result, that scared Olivia. She hopes now that Ed knows, he'll remain as professional as ever, but she honestly doesn't know what's going to happen. She has tenure, and there's no regulation against it, but Amanda could easily get fired over the silliest things, especially if the Dean wanted her gone.

She glanced at the other woman in the passenger seat, and smiled slightly. She'd enjoy today and worry about what happens at work, _at work._

When they get to the garden, they both get out and smile at each other. "Do you have your camera?" Olivia asks, grabbing her small bag and sunglasses.

"Of course." Amanda smirks, pulling her camera and an extra lense out of her bag. She grabs her own sunglasses and hooks the camera strap over her head, letting it take it's usual spot around her neck. "I take it everywhere."

"I love that."

Amanda blushes and smiles shyly.

"Since you paid for lunch the other day, I've got today. Don't even think about arguing." Amanda says firmly as they link their fingers together and make their way to the entrance of the garden. There's an entrance fee of $10 per person, and since Amanda is the one who wanted to come here for photos, she decided that Olivia didn't have to pay for a thing; the fee or their lunch after.

"Yes ma'am," Olivia presses her lips together, feigning obedience. There's a familiar twinkle in her eye that always makes Amanda melt.

…

An hour later, they find themselves in the bamboo forest. The small path weaves in and around stalks of the bamboo. Amanda's eyes are drawn to Olivia's movements. The amazement and curiosity in her eyes makes for an adorable sight. She snaps a few photos of the bamboo stalks, unsuccessfully trying to focus on more than _just_ Olivia.

Finally, she gives up. She turns back towards the older woman and smiles. Raising her camera, she snaps a photo of the other woman, who's now looking up, gazing at the sky through the tall stalks.

"I'll pretend like I didn't see you do that," Olivia murmurs, not bothering to look in Amanda's direction.

Amanda refuses to be embarrassed, instead shrugs, "I can't help it. My camera is just _drawn_ to beautiful things."

Olivia looks over then, brown eyes shocked. Amanda can tell the older woman wasn't expecting such a bold response. "Smooth." She smiles widely, walking over to her companion. Amanda's eyes are drawn to that bright smile, and she lets her gaze linger. "I'll let it slide this time." Olivia continues, sliding an arm around Amanda's waist. "Only on one condition." She leans in closer, voice dropping an octave, hand trailing down slowly.

"What's that?" Amanda questions breathily, swallowing thickly. Her eyes drop to Olivia's smiling lips, then back up to chocolate eyes.

Olivia leans in closer and bites her lip. Their breaths mingle as the brunette speaks.

"You let me... pick where we eat." Pulling away, another wide smile breaks over her face and a laugh bubbles out. Amanda looks shocked and confused and- _god help her-_ aroused.

It takes a moment for the younger woman to recuperate. She won't let Olivia have the last word this time. She nods, moving past the other woman, camera poised at her eye. As she snaps more photos, she speaks. "That's fine. But just so you know," She turns back, eyes trailing down Olivia's body appreciatively, "I already know what I want."

She quickly takes a photo of Olivia's reaction, laughing at the look on the woman's face.

Amanda nudges her head in the direction of a different, narrower trail, "Let's go this way. I think there's a peacock farm… Maybe we'll see Dean Tucker."

…

They walk through a large portion of the Botanical Garden, mostly hand in hand. Amanda takes as many photos of the flowers and, of course, Olivia, as possible, before she uses up all of the memory. By the time they both get hungry for lunch, they're closer to the entrance. "You wanna go grab some food now?" Amanda asks, thumb absentmindedly caressing the back of Olivia's hand.

"Yea, I could eat." She agrees, slipping her sunglasses on top of her head.

Amanda takes that tiny motion as the chance to finally kiss Olivia. They hadn't so much as shared a peck at all. "Okay, sounds good." She mutters. Stopping, she tugs Olivia's hand lightly, "Wait, Olivia."

The older woman turns around, eyebrows furrowed in question. "What is it?"

"Forgot somethin'." Amanda smirks, pulling the older woman closer. Without hesitation, she presses her lips against Olivia's. The feeling of home and contentment wash over her, and she can't help but deepen the kiss.

Olivia complies immediately, letting out a small noise when their tongues brush ever so slightly. She feels Amanda's hand linger dangerously close to her bottom, so she pulls away, remembering that they're in a very public space. "Not that I mind, but how about we keep it PG-13 until we're somewhere more.. Private." She purrs coyly.

"Right. Public." Amanda stutters, moving her hand back up to neutral territory. They make their way out of the garden and back to Olivia's car.

"So, where do you think we should eat?" Olivia asks once they're in the car, eyes watching the road. "I know I said I wanted to pick but if you have a place in mind, then that's fine too."

Amanda hums, thinking. "Well.. How about, you let me make us some lunch?" She asks shyly, eyes scanning Olivia's face for a reaction.

Olivia turns her head and arches a brow, "You want to make lunch?"

"Well.. I mean if that's okay. We can go to a cafe or restaurant if you prefer." Amanda stumbles awkwardly, fingers twisting together.

"I think that's a great idea. Do you want to stop somewhere to get some groceries? Or do you have what you need at home?" The older woman asks nonchalantly, as if she'd asked it a hundred times before.

"No, I went shopping a few days ago, I think we're set."

"Alright then, show me the way to your place."

…

"It's small, I know, but it's the best I can do on my salary right now," Amanda explains, embarrassed that her bed is only separated from the living room by a few decorative dividers. It's a large space, but it has only one room other than the kitchen/living/bedroom; the bathroom. "Plus it's just me, so no use in getting a bigger, more expensive apartment.

"Honey, it's okay. I had a place similar to this when I was in college. I think it's nice. Very… you." The older woman looked around, seeing dozens of large frames and canvases either hanging on the wall, or leaning against it. Each frame had a photo in it, all taken by Amanda most likely. The furniture all matched, a deep burgundy, and the accent colors around the whole space were greys and whites.

"Well thank you. Took me a couple of years to save up enough to move out of my mama's place. I love it here though. Not a lot of traffic like the city has."

Olivia nods, setting her bag and sunglasses on Amanda's small dining table. "I find it crazy how we lived so close and never bumped into each other at least once." She shakes her head. Amanda hadn't been exaggerating when she said she didn't live far; it'd only been a fifteen minute drive from the botanical garden.

"Maybe we did and just never noticed. Or we don't remember." Amanda shrugs, shucking off her jacket and boots before moving to the kitchen.

Olivia leans her elbows against the small island separating them and arches an eyebrow. "No.. I think I'd remember _you._ " She flirts, tilting her head.

Amanda smiles, eyes trailing down to the older woman's cleavage, now slightly more exposed due to her position and nods, "You know what, now that I look at you.. Same. Unforgettable." She jokes, making a show of staring at the brunettes breasts.

Olivia arches a suggestive brow and smirks, not breaking their gaze as she stands straight and walks around the island. "So about this _meal."_ She hums, eyes gliding up and down the younger woman's body. Without the jacket, her curves are shown off more, especially with the tight T shirt she sports. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Nope. Go sit back in that chair and keep me company while I make something." She raises her eyebrows when it looks like Olivia is about to protest, "My house, my rules."

The brunette puts her hands up in surrender and turns around to leave the kitchen. She shrugs off her light sweater and smirks when she hears the slight hitch in Amanda's breath. They should start keeping score on this game they're playing. Olivia's _sure_ she's in the lead.

"At least tell me what you're making?" Olivia asked, hanging her sweater on the backrest of her chair and sitting, one leg crossed over the other. Amanda looked up to reply, but was caught off guard by the long tan leg peeking over the counter. There's slits in the damn dress too.

"Uh- um, Turkey sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, and whatever else you want on it, and cranberry and walnut salad. And I have a white zinfandel we can drink with it." Amanda rattles off, turning to take ingredients out of the fridge.

They make small talk as Amanda prepares food, sharing jokes and flirting like they do this every saturday. When the food is ready and on both of their plates, Olivia insists on helping set the table. She pours the white zinfandel into two stem glasses and sets one at the end of the table and the other on the side closest to the end. She want's to be close to Amanda.

"This looks delicious, Mandy," Olivia smirks, tugging the hem of Amanda's t shirt.

"Thank you, _Vivi._ "

…

They're sitting in Amanda's living room now, having finished eating their lunch. Olivia's turned towards the younger woman, arm resting on the back of the couch, and her legs are crossed. Every so often, when Amanda isn't looking, she lets her eyes wander. She'd be lying if she said she doesn't feel self conscious around the blonde. She's incredibly beautiful, and the more time Olivia spends with her, the luckier she feels. Not just for the looks, but the amazing personality and beautiful soul.

"Olivia?"

The older woman refocuses her eyes on Amanda's, "Hm?" She hums, "Sorry, could you repeat that?"

"Did you get a little distracted?" Amanda smirks, nudging Olivia's leg with her foot.

"Very."

"Okay, hot stuff. Did you hear my question?"

"Nope. I was distracted."

Amanda blushed and scoots closer. "I _asked,_ when did you realize that you like women?"

Olivia doesn't hesitate with her answer. "When I walked into Siena's library."

"Okay, but really." Amanda laughed. Leaning her head against her hand, which was propped up by her elbow on the back of the couch. "What was that _I don't think I'm straight_ moment."

The brunette set her wine glass down on the coffee table and leans in closer as well, her hand landing on Amanda's forearm. "A long, long, _long,_ time ago, I was engaged to this guy named David. He was nice and treated me well and we had a lot in common. My mother loved him, and when he asked me to marry him, I said yes immediately. I thought that getting married was part of being an adult, and I was _desperate.._ You know, to move out of my mom's place, finish college, all that. My best friend at the time, Alex, was my rock. I remember appreciating her _so much,_ and now that I look back, it's how I appreciate you. I just didn't know that it was deep feelings back then.

To make a long, boring story short, I was walking down the aisle, ready to give my whole self to David, and instead, I fell in love, just not with him." She presses her lips together, letting her eyes drop to her lap, almost as if she's ashamed.

"You fell in love with Alex?" Amanda asked, letting her arm drop against the back of the couch as well. Her hand caressing Olivia's upper arm comfortingly.

"She looked so beautiful in her bride's maids dress. And for a second, I remember only focusing on her. I didn't even look at David before I was running off back to my dressing room. Alex followed me, and as soon as she closed the door, I kissed her."

Amanda's brows rose, "That was bold. I couldn't do that, especially not knowing if someone had feelings back."

"You kissed _me_."

"Yeah, but that's different. I knew by that time that you wanted me." She smirks, earning a light swat to her arm. "Okay so what happened next?"

"She pushed me away, apologized for leading me on, and let me down. 'Gently' in her words. She's straight as an arrow, also her words. I haven't talked to her and David since." Olivia shrugged. "It was a tough lesson learned, but I'm glad it happened. Otherwise I'd be married to someone else, with who knows what job."

"What about your mom?" Amanda asked, "You said she liked him."

"She got over it eventually, and then when I told her I like women, her words were, ' _Good. Men are idiots anyway.'_ And we never spoke of it again."

Amanda laughed lightly, "That's better than how my mama took it. She kicked me out and called me a sinner."

"Aren't we all."

" _Well._ If this," She leans in, pressing her lips to Olivia's in a chaste, but languid kiss, "Is a sin. The I'll be a sinner any day of the week."

" _Mmmmmm._ Agreed." Olivia replies huskily, pulling the younger woman back to her. She deepens the kiss right away and hooks her arm around the blonde's neck, keeping her in place. Amanda leans back, pulling the brunette down with her. She parts her legs so Olivia can settle in between them, their kiss never breaking as they adjust positions.

The older woman is holding herself up with her arms, and Amanda cups tanned cheeks and tilts her head to gain more access, letting out a light moan when Olivia lets her body drop an inch, their breasts brushing together slightly.

Amanda doesn't stop her hands from trailing down Olivia's cheeks and over her shoulders. She pauses slightly, not knowing if the older woman will appreciate being felt up, but when she feels the other woman's body arch into her, she takes it as the okay. She slides her hands slowly over Olivia's shoulders, chest, and finally stopping on the swell of her full breasts. The older woman moans into their kiss when Amanda finally cups them in her hands.

Their tongues twist together as Amanda squeezes the brunette's breasts gently, and she wonders if Olivia's even wearing a bra when she feels the older woman's nipples harden against her palms.

Olivia grinds down against Amanda then pulls away just as quickly, "We shouldn't do this right now.." She breathes out, staring into dark cobalt eyes. "I'm not going to be able to stop if you keep touching me like that."

"Who says we have to stop?" Amanda whines, voice breathy. She slides her hands around to cup Olivia's backside, pulling her back down.

" _I do."_ Olivia moans, kissing the corner of Amanda's lips. "I want our first time to be perfect. And _after_ we get to know each other a little bit more. Okay?"

Amanda lets Olivia get up and groans. "Fine. We can still make out though, right?"

Olivia chuckles, leaning in to press her lips back against the younger woman's.

"I don't see why not."

 **Hopefully this makes up for not updating yesterday or the day before. ;) Thanks B, for helping me** _ **again.**_

 **Anna**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Olivia's walking on air by the time monday rolls around. Her date with Amanda is on replay in her head, unable to, nor does she want to, stop thinking about how the younger woman had kissed her so deeply and so passionately.

She narrows her shoulders and tilts her chin up as she makes her way down the large school hallway early monday morning. Dean Tucker, as of now, is a threat to Amanda's job and their relationship, and it's all because of a silly crush. She's determined to set things straight with the man, and if necessary, she's prepared to fight dirty.

She stops outside of his door, which is cracked open, and she can see him sitting at his desk, glasses perched on his narrow nose. She takes a deep breath and knocks twice before pushing through the heavy door. "Dean Tucker.. We should talk."

The older man looks up, shocked to see the brunette standing in his office, and he nods slowly. "Please, take a seat. What can I-"

"I think you know."

He's quiet for a moment, facial features unreadable. His jaw tenses, then he lets out an exasperated sight. "What I did was immature." He grates firmly.

"And highly inappropriate." She adds, trying to hide her shock. She didn't expect it to be this easy. "What you said to her.. What you said about me? I should file a complaint. Last time I checked, _sir,_ me dating Amanda Rollins isn't against any regulations or codes of conduct." She grates, hands clenching together. "She's not scratching an _itch,_ and frankly, if she was, that's none of your damn business." Her voice is beginning to raise so she stops to collect herself.

"Professor Benson.. I know all of this. It was not my business. I let jealousy control my actions. It won't happen again. From here on out, nothing but professional interactions." He promises, eyes cast downward. "I am sorry." He adds quietly.

For a moment, she feels bad for raising her voice. She can see that he is sincere. But his his words flood through her mind once again and she sits straight, fingers lacing over the leg crossed over the other. "If you threaten Amanda's job again without a valid reason, I'm gone too." She hopes to god it doesn't come to that, but she wants to show him that she's not playing. "I've got a Doctorate and it'll be very easy to find a job elsewhere."

"I can assure you, it won't need to come to that. Amanda's job is not in danger from here on out." He nods once, slipping his glasses off. His eyes are hard, like usual, but there's regret in them too. "I truly am sorry."

Olivia stands then, straightening out her skirt. She nods, "I hope you will apologize to Amanda too."

"Of course."

She takes a deep breath and grabs her purse, turning to leave. She doesn't look back as she saunters out of his office, a small, victorious smile on her lips.

…

Amanda looks at herself in the small mirror in the back room of the library, finger hooked in her top. She sighs as she stares at the small, discolored area at the base of her throat. Olivia had marked her. It's not too noticeable, she barely noticed it only a few hours before arriving at work. The shirt she's wearing covers it mostly, so she's not too worried, but it's still something new. Olivia had put it there, and she can't help but want more, on different areas of her body.

"Whatcha lookin' at, Mandy?" She hears from behind her, and she spins around, tugging her shirt back up. Coraline is standing there with a smirk on her face, telling Amanda that the older woman had seen exactly what she was looking at.

"Nothing, just fixing my shirt."

"Uh-huh." Coraline nods skeptically. She moves closer to the younger woman and smiles widely. "That's a nice top you've got on," She teases, head tilting to look at the purple mark on her neck. "Did you fall on a vacuum this weekend?" She cracks, laughing at the horrified look on the blonde's face.

Usually, Amanda would think of something smart to say back, but right now, she's too embarrassed to speak.

"Ah, to be young and in lust." Coraline hums wistfully, patting Amanda's shoulder. "I'm just playin' with ya, kid." She finally relents.

Amanda shakes her head and tugs her collar up higher. Clearing her throat, she attempts to change the subject, "You said there was a new shipment of donated books?" She asked, tying up her hair.

"Yep. I had those goons set the boxes down in the back of the library. Didn't want 'em in the way." Coraline replies, "I'll give you a bonus if you sort through 'em and stack'm on the carts I put back there."

Amanda nods, grabbing a pair of rubber gloves from one of the many cabinets. "No problem. I'll get started right now." She pockets the gloves and her phone, slips on her cardigan and is about to leave the room when the older woman stops her.

"Mandy."

The younger woman pauses at the door, an eyebrow raised in question, "Yeah?"

"I'm happy for you."

The blonde smiles, cheeks tinting a light shade of pink and she murmurs a thank you before heading towards the other side of the library.

…

It's now 6 PM and Amanda is a little more than halfway through the sorting. She'd wanted to finish it all today so she doesn't have to do it tomorrow, but she didn't know, going into it, how grueling it would be. There's probably two hundred new books. Even with her rubber gloves, her fingers and palms have hairline cuts from checking the condition of each book. She eventually had to just take the blue elastics off because of how torn they were.

She's about finished with seven of the twelve boxes when her phone chimes. She immediately knows who it is.

 _I just finished with my last class for today. Dinner?_

Amanda's heart flutters at the thought of the older woman wanting to spend more time with her. She groans when she realizes that she can't leave yet, and types up a reply.

 _ **I wish. Stuck in the library for a few more hours.**_

She has half a mind to hit pause on her work and go eat something with Olivia, but in the back of her mind, she knows she needs to get this done for Coraline. She waits patiently for a response, thankful for the tiny break. She smiles when Olivia's name pops up once again.

 _ **:**_ _( Why so late? Have you already eaten something?_

 _ **No. I'm just gonna eat something small when I get home.**_

 _You sure I can't pull you away for a little while?_

God, this woman is tempting. Of course she could pull her away. She'd been pulling at the younger woman since they met. But right now, work is most important. She couldn't let Coraline down.

 _ **I'm sorry, Liv. Can we grab something to eat tomorrow evening?**_

 _No need to apologize. Of course. Don't stay too late._

Amanda sighs and hits the lock button on her phone. Her main focus now is getting all of this done before it gets too late. She grabs the next box and sits criss-cross on the floor, determined to finish.

An hour and a half later, she's through the tenth box, and confident that she'll be done before 8:30. She's kneeling over an empty box when she hears a low whistle and clicking of heels. She loses her balance, startled, and falls on top of the box. It buckles under her weight and lets out a groan. "Jesus, Olivia," She mutters, attempting to get up, but is stuck in the box.

Olivia's laughing as she sets a bag and her purse down onto the floor. "You're so easy to startle," She chuckles, leaning forward to help Amanda up. The older woman lets out a short yelp when Amanda squeezes her sides.

"That wasn't funny. Haven't you seen _any_ college horror movies?" Amanda grouses, "The blonde always dies first." She huffs.

"What about the brunette?"

"Either the heroine or the murderer."

Olivia smirk wrapping her arms around her girlfriend. "So I'll save you." She kisses Amanda softly, lips lingering for a moment. When she pulls away, she's wearing a wolfish grin, "Or I'll kill you."

"You already kill me."

"Well right now, I'm going to feed you." She replies, giving Amanda's bottom a light pat. "I brought you food. _Something small_ will not suffice. You're already tiny as can be." She shakes her head, grabbing the bag of food. "Take a twenty minute break and eat with me."

"Okay _mom."_

Olivia arches a brow, something that Amanda finds incredibly sexy. "I hope you don't kiss your mother like you kiss me." She teases, eyes darting to the younger woman's lips.

"Gross. I'm about to eat, Olivia.." Amanda jokes back, a look of disgust on her face. "What did you bring? We're not supposed to eat out here so let's go to the back room. There's a table and chairs." She watches as Olivia grabs her purse, taking the short moment to let her eyes wander... As they usually do. Olivia's wearing her usual skirt and sweater, but this time the neckline of the sweater is a tad bit lower. And her skirt has a slit that goes up the side a few inches, exposing the side of her thigh as she walks.

Olivia rattles off the food she'd gotten as they make their way to the back room. Amanda flips on the lights, stretching. She forgot to do that for the past few hours as she worked.

"You okay?" Olivia asks, setting the food on the table in the middle of the room.

"Yeah, just a little sore. And hungry. Thank you for bringing this. I didn't realize how hungry I actually am." She smiles, pulling a chair out of the older woman to sit.

They settle into a comfortable silence as they eat. Amanda can see that there's something bothering Olivia. Usually she's a little more talkative. "Okay, spill. What's wrong?"

Olivia looks up sheepishly, setting her sandwich down. She wipes her mouth, lipstick going with the napkin, and the younger woman's eyes are drawn to her bare, plump lips. That freckle. "I talked to Dean Tucker this morning." Olivia admits, brown orbs clearly searching for a response.

Amanda wants to let Olivia explain before she gets upset. She doesn't know how Ed Tucker is when confronted, her job could be as good as gone. She presses her lips together and tilts her head. "What did you say?" She asks tightly.

"I told him what he said was inappropriate, and uncalled for. He apologized and said he'd remain professional here on out." Amanda could tell immediately that the older woman is leaving something out. She arches a blonde eyebrow, as if to say 'what else?'

Olivia cleared her throat and drops her gaze to her crossed legs, "And then I said if he threatened your job without validation that I'd quit."

"What the _fuck,_ Olivia?" Amanda's eyes widen and she drops her own sandwich onto her plate, not acknowledging it when it falls apart. "My job is nowhere near as important as yours.. You have a _doctorate.."_

"Exactly. So I can work at any college. You love this job." Olivia reasons. Her eyes are wide and pleading for Amanda's understanding.

"God. That's the stupidest and… and the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Don't do it again, Liv." Amanda laughs shakily. She watches Olivia sigh, her whole body relaxing immediately. "Let's finish eating so I can get the rest of these books sorted." Amanda smiles.

…

An hour and two boxes later, Amanda is finally finished. Olivia'd decided to stay to keep the younger woman company, and had kept steady conversation while she worked. The blonde is gathering her things shutting off all the lights when Olivia speaks. "I'll drive you home, okay?" She smiles, shouldering her purse and slipping on her glasses.

"Thank you." Amanda smiles back sweetly, taking Olivia's hand in hers as they walk out of the library. Their fingers stay laced as they walk to Olivia's car in the chilly autumn air. "That felt like a date." Amanda blurts, a pink stain tinting her cheeks.

"It did, didn't it?" Olivia smirks, "We ate, got to know each other, spent time together.." She lists, pulling the younger woman closer to her. "I _love_ spending time with you." She hums. They reach her car, which is parked under a street lamp. The older woman softly pushes Amanda against the passenger side door, her body pressing against the blonde's in front of her. Her eyes trail down from Amanda's lips, over neck, and her breath hitches.

Amanda knows she sees it.

"Where'd _this_ come from?" Olivia hums playfully, hooking her finger in the neckline of her girlfriend's shirt, pulling it down slightly. Her eyes cloud over with arousal and she smiles deviously, leaning forward to place a lingering kiss over the darkened patch of skin.

"This hot brunette put it there."

Olivia chuckles lowly, "She must want you." She purrs, tongue darting out to trace the hickie.

Amanda lets her head fall back against the car and her eyes slip closed. "Liv," She whispers, hands drifting down to Olivia's backside. Olivia moves her mouth up to the younger woman's and presses their lips together. Their tongues tangle and the brunette moans when Amanda squeezes her bottom. She pulls away, breath heavy. Her eyes are nearly black, and Amanda can see the lust swirling in them, even in this dim lighting.

"You make it hard to wait." She rasps, eyes shifting down to the other woman's cleavage. One of her favorite sights.

"Well," Olivia smiles, biting her lip. She trails her hands up Amanda's sides and leans forward once more, pressing a chaste kiss to the younger woman's lips before continuing. "Since this is our official second date.. You know what the third date rule is?"

She does. God help her, she does. She doesn't think those rules apply much anymore, but she's not going to argue with this woman in front of her. Olivia oozes sex. Class and sex. She can't wait for the third date.

 **I might have to up the rating soon. *Smirk***

 **Let me know what you thought about this chapter. Thank you all for your kind words. Xx**

 **Anna**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

" _You know that.. That we don't_ _ **have**_ _to have sex on the third date, right? It's not a requirement." Olivia spoke quietly as she pulled the car to a stop in front of Amanda's home. She looked over at the younger woman with shining eyes that pierced straight into her. "What we have now is amazing and if you're nervous or not ready, I understand. I feel like I put pressure on-"_

" _No, you didn't. I know what you meant when you said it, and I know that there's no pressure." Amanda cut in immediately, putting a hand on Olivia's knee. She could tell that Olivia's demeanor changed soon after she whispered those sexy words. The blonde looked at her apartment building before turning back to the older woman. "Is what Tucker said still bothering you?" She tilted her head. There was no judgment in the question._

 _Olivia pressed her lips together in a tight line and shook her head. Her fingers laced with Amanda's on her knee and she exhaled. "You aren't just an itch." She finally gets out. "Sex with you would be.. Icing on this_ _ **very**_ _sweet cake, but it's not.. It isn't the only good thing about what we have." She squeezed the younger woman's fingers, eyes never tearing away._

" _I know that," Amanda let out a short laugh, scooting closer to Olivia. "God, I know that. What Tucker said was fucked up, but that doesn't make it true. I believe you. I trust you." She cupped the back of the brunettes head, bringing their lips together. Their tongues brushed together languidly and the younger woman savored Olivia's taste. Olivia cupped her cheeks with both hands, keeping them close together. When Amanda finally pulled away an inch, she smirked. "Besides. I don't think_ _ **I**_ _can wait past this next date." She purred. The hand on the other woman's knee moved up an inch, fingers spreading out over the skin above Olivia's knee._

 _The older woman exhaled deeply, relieved, and she reattached her lips to Amanda's. She pulled back, teeth latched onto the younger woman's bottom lip. She let go with a slight smile and hummed, "Well. I Wouldn't want to keep you waiting."_

…

Amanda jumps at the sound of two guys laughing, snapping her out of her thoughts, and she rolls her eyes. They look over at her instinctively and she points to the _Quiet Environment_ sign posted next to the wall clock.

They snicker and make their way out of the library.

"Someone's grumpy." Coraline smirks, amused. Her elbow is leaning against the counter, a cheek in her hand.

"Jesus," Amanda gasps, nearly jumping off of the stool she's perched on. "How long have you been there?" She asks, straightening her back.

"Long enough." The older woman laughs. "I came out here to tell you that you can have your lunch early. It's slow."

Amanda nods, "Oh. Thank you." She smiles, sliding off the stool and making her way to the back room to grab her bag. "Do you want me to pick something up for you?" She asks Coraline when she returns, slipping the strap over her shoulder.

The older woman shook her head, "Nah. I'm grabbing an early dinner with Don so I'm saving my appetite, if ya know what I mean." She winks, an impish smile on her face.

The blonde scrunches her nose and shakes her head, "Nope. Don't wanna know." She mutters, throwing her hands up in defeat. She smiles as she makes her way out of the Library, listening to Coraline's boisterous laugh.

She steps outside into the cool fall air and leans against a pillar. Pulling out her phone, she taps Olivia's contact and hits the 'text' icon.

 _Hungry?_

She figures she'll bring Olivia some food while she's on break. Any reason to see the older woman is a good reason.

 _ **Starving.**_

Came the reply, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She isn't 100% certain that Olivia is just talking about food. There would be no surprise of there were another meaning to the simple response.

 _I'll bring some food._

She sends back as she starts toward the little cafe. She remembers what Olivia got last time, so she'll get her that again. When she gets Olivia's text, she nearly trips while reading it.

 **Okay. Food sounds good, too.**

…

Olivia is deep in grading when Amanda knocks on her office door. "C'min," She calls, placing a sticky note where she's stopping. She smiles when the younger woman comes in, bag of food hanging from her fingers.

"I heard someone is starving." Amanda smirks, emptying the contents of the bag onto the desk.

"Mmmmm. _Yes_. Get that chair and come sit by me." She scoots over slightly, clearing a spot for Amanda. She lets her eyes unashamedly roam over Amanda's body as the younger woman moves the folding chair next to Olivia behind the desk. They lock eyes when the blonde sits down, and a wave of electricity flows between them. Amanda blushes under the other woman's smoldering gaze.

"What did you get?" Olivia asks eventually, opening one of the styrofoam containers.

"I went to that cafe down the street and got what you had last time we were there." Amanda shrugs, handing Olivia a plastic fork and knife. She blushes when the brunette arches a brow in amusement.

"You remember what I got?"

Amanda's cheeks flush and her eyes dart to her lap, unknowing of what to say. "I-"

"Thank you." Olivia smiles sweetly. "It's my favorite."

Amanda mutters a terse 'you're welcome,' smiling shyly as she opens her own food container. They pick at their food for a few moments, taking occasional bites as they talk about how their day has been going. They finish their food relatively quickly, knowing that they're on a bit of a schedule, so that they can have a few minutes to just talk. Amanda graciously throws their trash away before returning to sit next to Olivia once again.

"So, I've been thinking." The younger woman begins, scooting closer to the brunette. "How about Saturday night.. You and I have dinner?" She continues shyly, eyes focusing on her twisting fingers.

Olivia crosses her legs and leans forward, a hand clasping over the other woman's nervous ones and she smiles. "I would love to, honey, but I have to attend a department function. It's mandatory."

Amanda tries to hide her disappointment, "What's it for?" She asks curiously.

Olivia sighs, shrugging. "I don't know. Funds I think. It's black tie so I guess we're kissing up to _someone._ " She smirks. She sees the dejected look on the younger woman's face and cups her cheeks, "Hey," She smiles, placing a soft kiss on Amanda's lips. "Not Saturday doesn't mean _never._ I promise it'll be soon, okay?"

Amanda grasps the back of Olivia's knee and pulls the older woman closer, thankful that she's in a chair with wheels. The bold move made Olivia gasp lightly, eyes darkening. "Okay." She mutters, a small smile growing on her lips. They kiss again for another few moments, savoring their short time together. Amanda caresses Olivia's calf as they pull back slightly. "All this waiting is getting difficult." She laughs, her own eyes a shade darker.

Olivia nods, "I agree." Her stiletto clad foot grazing up the side of Amanda's leg, smiling when she feels the younger woman shudder. She leans forward, pressing her lips against the other woman's jaw, tongue darting out quickly. " _But,_ " She pauses, pulling back to switch sides. "I promise I'll make it worth your while." She finishes, lips rubbing softly against Amanda's heated skin.

Amanda's eyes slip closed and she lets out a shaky breath, fingers tightening around Olivia's calf. She wants part her legs and pull Olivia between them so they can continue, but instead, she pushes the older woman's chair away. The brunette releases Amanda's skin with a light pop and there's a confused look on her face.

"There won't be any waiting if you keep doing _that."_ Amanda smirks.

Olivia clears her throat and slips her glasses off, "I guess you aren't the only one who's having trouble." She husks, straightening in her seat.

"I'd better get back to work." Amanda stands up, folding the chair and setting it off to the side. Olivia stands up and straightens her skirt. The younger woman's eyes drift to Olivia's legs and feet. She'd learned on their first date that, without the stilettos, she was only an inch or two taller than her. Now, with the four inch heels, there was a significant difference. She can tell that Olivia likes it though.

Amanda wraps her arms around Olivia's waist, smiling as the other woman plants a chaste kiss on her cheek. "Thank you for lunch. I needed that. And what happened after that." She jokes, brown eyes twinkling.

…

Amanda wakes up saturday morning refreshed; the days leading up to now were more or less uneventful. She and Olivia hadn't had a lot of time to spend together, seeing as weekdays keep both women busy. They swapped texts when they could, and Amanda was okay with that, but it made her crave Olivia's presence more.

She'd eaten breakfast and mindlessly watched television, and for lunch, she went out, deciding that she'd take photos afterwards.

Now, it's just after 8 PM, and she's editing the photo's she'd taken earlier. As she flips through the memory card, she finds a few of Olivia from their first date. She smiles, opening one of them. Olivia is smelling a flower in this one, leaning down slightly, hand tucking her wavy hair behind an ear and there's a small smile on her face. Olivia had rolled her eyes after she took that photo, telling her to delete it. Of course, she'd been joking. And even if she wasn't, it would take a hell of a lot of convincing to get Amanda to delete _any_ photo of Olivia.

She leans her head back against the couch cushion and inhales. Olivia. She still finds it crazy that this woman wants to be with her. She constantly has to try and wrap her head around it. The novelty of being with Olivia will, most likely, never wear off.

She shuts her computer and sets it on the coffee table. Just as she's about to get up and get into her pajamas, there's a knock on her door. She arches a brow and walks over to look through the peep hole. She gasps when she sees Olivia standing on the other side, all dressed up.

She opens the door quickly, eyebrows raised. She grips the doorknob tightly in attempt to hold herself up as she takes the older woman in. She's wearing a curve hugging black dress with elbow length sleeves, the hemline ending just above her knees. The neckline dips low, showing off something lacy and white, and the color makes her tanned skin pop.

Her eyes finally make it to Olivia's, and there's amusement and arousal swirling in those dark orbs. "W-what are you.. Um, what are you doing here?" The blonde stutters.

 **So, rating goes up next chapter. ;) Leave a review if you want it anytime soon….**

 **Anna**


	12. Chapter 12

**To the reviewer asking about their ages; Amanda is 24 and Olivia is 38.**

 **Chapter 12**

" _W-what are you.. Um, what are you doing here?"_

Olivia looks at the younger woman with a sexy smile, and Amanda's eyes are instantly drawn to it. "What, a woman can't visit her girlfriend?" She asks coyly as she steps closer to the blonde. She's several inches taller at the moment; Amanda can feel Olivia's confidence radiating off of her body.

"She can…" Amanda chokes, unable to keep her eyes from wandering. "Just.. Said woman told girlfriend that she had a mandatory department function.." She rattles off mindlessly, only halfway paying attention to what she's saying.

"Can I come in, Amanda?" Olivia asks quietly, tilting her head.

"Oh.. Yeah. Yes." The blonde stutters, stepping aside to let the older woman in. "How was the function?" She asks, trying desperately to look anywhere but Olivia's ass, which is fit snugly under that damned black dress.

Olivia kicks off her heels, sighing at the relief. "It was boring. I left as soon as the important stuff was over. Nobody noticed."

"Nobody noticed _you_ leaving? In _that_ dress?" Amanda asks skeptically, eyes briefly drifting to the brunette's cleavage. She motions towards the couch and sits down. Olivia sits down next to her, their legs touching. Amanda curses herself for wearing shorts.

"You should have seen Professor Conners. She looks like she just walked out of a brothel." Olivia jokes. She pulls her earrings out and sets them on the coffee table. "I just figured it was still early enough to come see you." She smiles, leaning against the back of the couch.

"I'm glad you did. I was about to get ready for bed."

" _Bed?"_

Amanda nods, "Today was uneventful. I went out and took some photos, had some lunch at a diner down the street.. Came back, edited. Plus, I didn't think I'd see you tonight so there was no reason to stay up or anything." She's babbling, mostly in an attempt to keep her mouth busy. Olivia looks dangerously tempting in that dress.

"Oh," Olivia straightens, "If you're tired, I can come back another-"

"Nope." Amanda cuts in immediately. "Not tired anymore."

Olivia scoots closer, dark eyes smiling, "That's good. Because I was thinking.. How about that third date?" She asks, hand stretching out to grasp Amanda's.

The younger woman gulps, eyes widening, "You want to go out right now?" She mutters, eyes drawn to the light pattern Olivia's fingers are drawing over her own. This woman is too sexy for her own good, and she knows it. And she knows just how to use it on Amanda. It's an unfair game.

"Or… we can stay here.. Have some wine.." She drawls, the edge of her lips curving up in a tempting smile.

"I'm not.. I'm not dressed properly for the occasion.." Amanda replies meekly, looking down at her shorts and t shirt.

"Clothing optional." Olivia smirks, a devious gleam in her eye. The younger woman can't tell if it's a joke or not, but it's doing things to her body that she didn't think could happen.

And suddenly, Amanda is terribly nervous. She clasps her hands together and exhales, "So you said wine right? I'll go get that right now." She smiles sheepishly, jumping up and padding quickly to her kitchen. _Does this mean Olivia is ready?_ She asks herself. _Am I ready?_ She asks again. Of course she is. She has been ready for this, with Olivia since she met her. She shakes her head and pulls the wine bottle out of her fridge. It's the one from their first date, and there's only enough for one glass left. She mentally scolds herself. Why didn't she get some more when she was at the store the other day?

She pours it anyway, taking a deep breath then shuffling back into the living room. "There was only enough for one glass," She laughs nervously. "We can just share it, if that's okay with you."

Olivia nods, crossing her legs and turning her body towards Amanda's as the younger woman sits down.

"I know I've made it obvious that I like that dress… but you really do look… just, wow." The blonde is at a loss for words. "Gorgeous." She fingers the hem of the black material, thumb caressing over softness of the garment.

"Thank you. I've been looking for a reason to wear it." Olivia smiles, smoothing the material down over her abdomen. Amanda sips the cold wine before handing it to the older woman. She takes a deep breath before speaking.

"Liv, I want to say something, before we take that final step.. Whenever it happens." She says cautiously. Olivia nods, setting the wine glass down on the coffee table and settling into the couch comfortably. She grabs the older woman's hand and squeezes it before continuing. "I see.. A lot of my future with you. My feelings are so deep, and I'm ready for this. All of it. And if that's not something you want as well then.." She trails off, shaking her head, unable to finish her sentence.

"It is." Olivia states firmly, her hand squeezing Amanda's tightly. "I want it all with you too. I don't think I've wanted anything more." She smiles as she pulls their linked fingers to her mouth, kissing the back of her girlfriend's hand. "And as I said before.. Sex is just icing on this already delicious cake. It's not necessary. We can wait longer if you want, if that'll make you feel better about how serious I am-"

"God, no.. I believe you, Olivia. I do. And I don't want to hear that word anymore.. _Wait."_ She growls, pushing Olivia backwards. The brunette falls back, head landing against the armrest with a silent 'oof'. "As long as we're both on the same page, both serious about this, then _no more waiting."_ She presses their lips together and slips a leg in between Olivia's, moaning softly when it grazes the juncture between the older woman's thighs.

Olivia's back arches at the contact and tangles her tongue with Amanda's. Her hands drift from the blonde's waist to her hips, pulling her closer. Amanda smiles into the kiss, pulling her lips away so she can lavish attention against the flushed, heated skin of Olivia's neck and chest. Her tongue makes a wet trail up from the brunette's collarbone to behind her ear. Amanda immediately sucks on the soft skin there, causing a moan to bubble out from Olivia's lips.

It's the most beautiful sound, and her main goal is to make the other woman do it over and over.

She tugs the sleeves of Olivia's dress down, pulling it over her shoulder until it's bunched up underneath her full breasts. The older woman pants as she pushes Amanda's shoulders slightly, "Bed.. let's go to your bed.."

Amanda nods, standing up and pulling her hair out of the loose ponytail it had been in all day. She watches with darkened eyes as Olivia tugs the dress the rest of the way down, letting it pool on the floor in front of the couch.

Her breathing stops. The white lace underneath that sexy black dress turns out to be a _very_ see through camisole, leaving not much to the imagination. The blonde daren't look further south, afraid she'll combust if she takes too much in at once. The sight of Olivia's dark nipples peaking through the flimsy white lace is already tormenting enough.

The brunette smiles, holding her hand out. "I believe I promised that I'd make this worth the wait." She purrs as Amanda takes her outstretched hand. She pulls their bodies together tightly and presses her breasts against the younger woman's. "And you _know_ I'm a woman of my word." She husks, lips brushing seductively over the blonde's.

Amanda's eyes flutter briefly, but snap back open when Olivia turns around, pulling her towards the enclosed area where her bed is. This time, she doesn't try to look away from Olivia's ass, Only concealed by more lace. Black lace. There's something incredibly endearing about Olivia mismatching her undergarments.

When they reach her unmade bed, she scrambles to move the sheets around, adjust the pillows, _something_ to make the space more tidy. A gentle hand stops her, turns her around, and she's being pushed down onto the bed. "What I'm planning on doing to you doesn't require a neat bed," Olivia drones into her ear, tongue darting out to lick the shell.

This woman is a wildfire.

And Amanda desperately wants to fan the flames.

She feels Olivia tugging on her shirt, and she lifts her back off of the bed so that it can be removed. Olivia hums as she trails her lips in between Amanda's pert breasts, fingertips dragging down her torso. When the older woman's fingers reach the younger woman's shorts, they deftly unbutton and unzip them before tugging them over her hips.

 _Now, we're even._ Amanda thinks, and spins them around to where Olivia is on her back, hair spread out around her head, breasts heaving. The blonde wants that white scrap _off._ And she's not against tearing it off.

She tugs the straps down over her arms, doing the same motion as she did with the dress, and moments later, Olivia's full, round breasts are exposed before her. It's a mouth watering sight, and she doesn't waste a second before lowering her mouth and wrapping her lips around a dark, hardened nipple.

Olivia's head tilts back and she moans, fingers weaving through soft blonde hair and tugging firmly from the base of her head. Amanda's hand comes up to cup the other breast, kneading the fleshy mound, tugging softly on her other nipple.

" _Please.._ Touch me.." Olivia breathes, legs parting slightly.

"I _am_ touching you." Amanda teases, teeth nipping the underside of the older woman's breast.

Olivia growls, pushing herself up onto an elbow, her other hand grabbing Amanda's and bringing her fingers up to her lips. She stares into the blonde's eyes as she pulls two of her fingers into her hot mouth, sucking intently on them. She pulls them back out slowly, eyes never breaking contact. "Touch me." She repeats lowly.

Amanda knows better than to tease now.

She complies, albeit slowly, letting her fingers trail down Olivia's taut stomach, over the exposed patch of skin, and to the hemline of her sexy black panties. She wants those off too. "Take them off first." Amanda demands, tugging at the garment.

Olivia immediately sits up, pulling the white lace up and over her head, tossing it aimlessly onto the floor. "You're gonna have to help me with my panties." She smirks, lifting her hips seductively. Amanda does.

And in seconds, Olivia is completely naked. She scoots back onto the bed, legs parted slightly, cheeks and chest flushed with arousal. "Your turn." She subconsciously dips her fingers between her legs as Amanda removes her bra and panties. When the younger woman looks up and sees the action, her jaw goes slack.

She climbs up on the bed and crawls towards Olivia, eyes set between the brunettes legs. She pushes the older woman's legs further apart and moans at the sight of neatly kempt dark curls.

Amanda's on her knees in front Olivia's parted legs and she lifts her fingers back to the other woman's lips, letting her suck on them until they're thoroughly lubricated, then slinks them down the brunette's body. Amanda settles over Olivia, her entire weight resting on her forearm and she watches her lover's eyes flutter shut, mouth drop open as her fingers part her lower lips then slowly drag circles around her sensitized clit. "You're already _so_ wet, Olivia." The blonde purrs, pressing her fingers more firmly against the little bud.

" _Oh god."_ She gasps, nails raking down her lover's back lightly. Her hips slowly grind into Amanda's hand as the younger woman works her fingers expertly against her core.

Olivia's head tilts back and her mouth drops open when Amanda pushes two fingers inside her tight opening. The younger woman places a wet kiss on Olivia's chin as she picks up speed, fingertips rubbing against the brunette's front wall.

"Ri-right.. _There.."_ The older woman whimpers, and it's the most beautiful sound Amanda's ever gotten the pleasure of hearing. She want's to be in this moment forever, fingers buried deep inside of Olivia, eyes watching as the older woman writhes in pleasure.

Amanda can't take it anymore, her senses and nerves are going crazy, and she's desperate. She straddles Olivia's thigh, using one of her legs to keep the other woman's thighs parted, and she grinds down onto her lover's thigh, her clit rubbing intimately against the other woman's skin.

She thrusts her hips in time with her fingers, and soon, they're both panting, moaning each other's name, grinding against each other desperately.

"Olivia," Amanda pants, causing the older woman's eyes, which had previously slipped closed, to open. "Watch me." She whispers, extracting her fingers from inside her girlfriend slowly and sliding down her body.

The older woman props herself up with her elbows and bites her lip as Amanda hooks one of her legs over a slender shoulder, their eyes never breaking connection. The blonde lowers her head and latches her lips around Olivia's clit, and the brunette fights to keep her eyes open. She pulls one of the younger woman's hands up to cup her breast.

It only takes a few hard sucks and thrusts of her tongue inside the older woman before she has her writhing against the white sheets, coming.

" _Fuuuuuuuuuuck.."_ Olivia moans, hand shooting down to tangle in messy blonde locks. She grinds against the younger woman's lips as her climax hits it's peak and she can't keep her eyes open any longer. They slam shut and her head tilts back, her mouth open in a long, silent moan.

Amanda kisses her way back up Olivia's body, smiling against her chest as the other woman struggles to catch her breath.

"Forget photography. Watching you come is the best visual." She pants, smiling when Olivia flops back, a breathy laugh escaping her lips.

"Come here," The older woman rasps, eyes twinkling.

Amanda complies immediately, laying on her back so Olivia can straddle her. She feels the wetness between her lover's legs seep onto her pelvis and she moans, bucking her hips in need of some friction.

Olivia sucks one of the younger woman's rosy nipples into her mouth and nibbles gently while a hand slithers between lean legs. From the way Amanda is bucking, moaning, mewling, she knows it won't take long. For the first orgasm at least.

She throws her eyes up to gauge her lover's reaction as she thrusts her fingers in and out, tongue darting in and out of her mouth to lap on different spots of the blonde's breasts. She knows she'll leave more marks but she doesn't care. She speeds up when Amanda's walls start to flutter around her fingers.

"Fuck, Liv. Keep goin'." Her twang is more apparent when she's aroused, and it's a huge turn on for Olivia. She grants the younger woman her demand and speeds up even more, teeth latching onto a distended nipple.

"Come, baby." She husks, voice deep and raspy.

That seems to do it for Amanda, because seconds later, she's crying out into her apartment, throwing an arm over her mouth to keep relatively quiet. Olivia crawls up over her and replaces the younger woman's arm with her lips, tongue delving deep.

They kiss fiercely for a few minutes, breathing heavily against each other's mouths until they're in desperate need of air. Olivia flops down next to Amanda, fingers trailing lazily over the blonde's stomach. "Give me a few minutes…" She pants, "And we can do that again."

Amanda laughs, turning over and cuddling into Olivia, legs entwining, naked bodies molding together. "This was definitely worth the wait." She mutters against a full, caramel breast.

"And then some." Olivia smiles, running her fingers through the younger woman's hair.

 **I hope this was worth the wait for you all. Leave a review and let me know your thoughts on this chapter. I won't be writing/updating for a few days, at least until the weekend is over. I have a memorial/funeral to go to so I won't be up to writing much. I'll be back as soon as possible though!**

 **Xx, Anna**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

She can feel Amanda's eyes on her before her own actually open. A slow smile spreads across her face and she bathes in this for a sweet moment. Being in the blonde's home, in her bed, tangled up with her. She knew that eventually, this would happen, she just didn't know how fantastic it would feel.

"I know you're awake, Olivia." Amanda teases, fingers trailing lightly over the older woman's bare shoulder.

"No, I'm not." The brunette rasps, turning her head away. She feels the sheet that she'd strewn over the both of them sometime in the middle of the night slip lower, and she fights a smirk. She can practically feel Amanda's intense gaze on her breasts.

"Shame. Guess I'll have to wake you up." Amanda purrs, fingers drawing a lazy circle around one of the older woman's nipples, letting out a low chuckle when it hardens into a tight little nub. " _Livvie.."_ She hums, pushing the sheet all the way off of the bed.

Olivia tries desperately to keep a straight face, eyes closed, but her girlfriend is making it extremely hard. It's always teasing games with them.

Her head stays turned away, and she bites her lip in effort to stifle a moan when she feels wet lips wrap around her hardened peak. She can't hold out for much longer, not when Amanda's hand is slowly making it's way down her abdomen. The sheet on the bed is in danger of being pulled off the corner as the older woman fists it in her hand.

"Good morning," Amanda whispers against her lover's damp flesh.

" _Fuck,"_ Olivia breaks, arching her back and parting her legs. "Yes it is." She moans.

"Oh, good! You're awake. Time for some breakfast. I'm _starving."_ She smirks, pulling away from the writhing brunette.

Olivia growls, arms winding around the younger woman's waist. She takes one of the blonde's hands and puts it between her legs, "Then _eat."_ She whispers, hips tilting up.

"Huh." Amanda smirks, "Who knew all it takes to get Dr. Professor Benson worked up is some light teasing."

"Amanda. Stop talking." The older woman groans, tilting her head back in frustration.

The younger woman laughs as she slinks down Olivia's body, placing teasing kisses and lingering bites on various areas of the other woman's heated skin. She looks up, eyes grazing over miles and miles of smooth, tanned flesh and she can't help but send up a silent thank you to whatever deity that's listening.

"Great morning." She mumbles before lowering her mouth over Olivia's hot, wet sex.

…

Amanda rests her chin on her folded arms as she watches Olivia work the spatula around the cooking eggs. She's been smiling all morning, unable to think about anything but how happy she is. Her eyes roam Olivia's body appreciatively, loving the way her t shirt clings to every curve, and how the front stretches across the older woman's full breasts. She's not wearing pants, just those thin, lacy panties that Amanda had wanted to rip off of her body. That same feeling floods the blonde once again, and she forces herself to look elsewhere.

"Do you want pepper in yours? Salt?" She hears Olivia ask, and she refocuses on her lover's brown eyes. She can see the amusement in them, and for once, she's not embarrassed that she was caught looking. Not when she'd already had the pleasure of touching. "Babe?"

"Um," She clears her throat, smiling. "Both." She watches the older woman divide the eggs up and scoop them onto their plates. "You know you didn't have to make breakfast. I have no problem doing it."

"I know," Olivia says, voice light. "But.. after what you did over there?" She nods in the direction of the bed, "It's the least I can do." She sets the plate and a fork in front of Amanda, who is perched on the other side of the island.

Amanda smirks, taking a bite of the eggs, then hums, "Wow," She takes another bite. "If _that's_ all it takes for _this…._ " She jokes, smiling around a forkful of eggs.

Olivia rolls her eyes. "I'll cook for you regardless. As long as I can spend time with you." She winks, leaning across the narrow island and placing a soft kiss on her lover's lips. They smile adoringly at each other and eat their food in silence. When Olivia finishes, she pushes the plate aside and leans on her elbows.

"So. I'm free all day. Is there something you wanna do? Go out? Stay in?" She pauses, tilting her head, "Or wait.. Do _you_ have plans?"

Amanda laughs, grabbing Olivia's plate and her own and walking around the island. She sets them in the sink and slinks up behind the brunette, hands banding around her curvaceous waist. "My plans are whatever your plans are."

"How about we just have a lazy sunday in?" Olivia suggests, looking over her shoulder at the woman behind her.

Amanda hums, hands roaming up and down Olivia's body. "Depends. How lazy d'you wanna get?" She drawls, cupping her girlfriend's breasts and kneading them gently. She smirks when she hears Olivia moan lightly. Looking over the taller woman's shoulder, she sees that her hands are pressed flat atop the surface of the counter, fingertips white. "I love these." She purrs in Olivia's ear as she swipes her thumbs over distended nipples, placing kisses along the column of the other woman's throat.

Olivia laughs throatily and grinds her backside into Amanda's pelvis. "I've noticed."

For a moment, the blonde is happy that she's behind Olivia. The pink flush that spreads across her cheeks at the comment sticks out against her milky skin. She knows how obvious she is when she looks at Olivia, ever since the day they met, it's been hard to keep her eyes on the brunette's face.

Amanda turns the older woman around and presses their lips together, just wanting to kiss her for a moment. She'll never get tired of kissing her.

"Mmmm." Olivia moans, pulling away slowly. A small smile graces her lips and she gazes deeply into Amanda's cerulean eyes. They're both swept up in the sweetness of this moment. Amanda never would have imagined this a few months ago; never would have pictured a domestic moment like this, and with a woman like Olivia. "How about we find a movie on television?" The older woman breaks her from her thoughts.

She nods, "I also have a few DVD's we can choose from." She suggests as their fingers lace together and they make their way over to the couch, the dishes in the sink long since forgotten.

…

Olivia grabs the remote and shuts the TV off, eyes drooping from just having woken up. Both she and Amanda had fallen asleep halfway through the movie, and she only woke up when the song on the menu started playing.

She looks down at the younger woman, head in her lap, sleeping peacefully. She runs her fingers through soft blonde hair, and smiles softly. After the whole ordeal with Alex happened, she didn't think that she would find someone that made her this happy. Sure, she has had flings over the years, relationships that have lasted a few months, but nothing she ever felt would go somewhere serious.

Amanda is a game changer. The feelings she had for Alex nearly pale in comparison to the ones she has for the woman asleep on her lap. Amanda let's out a soft moan and presses her face against Olivia's stomach. The older woman watches as she rolls over onto her back and her eyes flutter open slowly.

"Mmmmmm. How long was I out?" She murmurs, body stretching over Olivia's lap.

"I don't know. 'Bout as long as I was." The brunette smiles, fingers combing through her lover's hair once again.

"We wore each other out last night." Amanda smirks up at Olivia.

"And this morning." Olivia adds, biting her lip.

"It's never been that good before." Amanda comments shyly, cheeks tinting pink.

"What, sex?" The older woman asks, arching an eyebrow. Amanda nods and Olivia let's out a short laugh. "Oh trust me. I've never.. uh.. come so easily.. as I have with you."

"Good to know." The blonde smirks, a satisfied grin growing on her face. She sits up when Olivia rolls her eyes and straddles her girlfriend, dipping her head to place kisses along Olivia's neck. "You're so beautiful when you come, Livvie. I just work extra hard to so I can see the look on your face."

Olivia moans, hands moving to cup the younger woman's behind. She feels the heat of the blonde's arousal against her bare upper thighs, and she pulls at the hem of her light grey panties.

Amanda shifts, letting the older woman remove the garment and then whips off her t shirt.

Olivia goes to lay the younger woman down, but Amanda stops her, leaning down to bite her earlobe and whisper, "I wanna ride your fingers."

Olivia let's out an aroused grown and let's her fingers find her lover's heat, feeling how wet she is. "God, Amanda." She whispers, pushing two fingers inside.

"I love feeling you inside of me." Amanda whimpers boldly, hips moving against Olivia's hand. She leans down and attaches her lips to the older woman's, kissing her deeply. Their tongues work together and soon, their mouths are moving at the same pace that's between Amanda's legs.

The blonde pulls away to inhale sharply when her girlfriend's thumb brushes over her clit, and she speeds up the thrusts of her hips.

"C'mon, baby," Olivia cooes, "Come for me."

Amanda's eyes slip closed and her hands fly to Olivia's dark, missed tresses, tangling in the soft locks. She tugs as she speeds up, and the older woman nips and licks at her pulse point, collarbone, breasts, nipples, making sure to lavish attention on every patch of sweet skin within reach.

The younger woman's head flies back as she climaxes, one hand now holding onto Olivia's shoulder, the other propping her up on the other woman's knee. She gyrates her hips as she comes down, head tilting back and long blonde hair handing over Olivia's legs.

"Beautiful." Olivia mutters, removing her fingers from inside the other woman and gripping her waist adoringly. She pulls her lover back up, wrapping her arms around the blonde's lithe waist and pressing their bodies together.

"Amazing." Amanda pants, face buried in the other woman's neck. "Just amazing. Let me just get feeling back in my body and then I'll return the favor."

Olivia chuckles, fingers tracing her girlfriend's spine, lightly up and down. "No need. I was happy to do that for you."

"Mmmmm. Happy. You make me so happy." Amanda hums, tongue dancing against the older woman's collarbone.

"You make me happy too, Love." Olivia whispers, head tilting back to give the younger woman more room. It's only a few short moments before the brunette is completely naked, on her back, and just as Amanda dips her fingers in between toned, tan thighs, she moans. "I love lazy Sundays in."

 **This story doesn't have much left to cover.. It'll most likely be done by chapter 15. This has been a fantastic ride with you all. Thank you for the continued support.**

 **Anna**


	14. Chapter 14

**Don't kill me! This is the end, everyone. It was easier to put the short epilogue at the end of this chapter instead of making it it's own. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it!**

 **Chapter 14**

The first day back at work for Olivia _after,_ is a little tricky. Firstly, she has to wear a turtleneck to cover up all of the love bites and hickeys that her lover had so graciously left. She's not usually a woman who appreciates being marked, but something about Amanda staking her claim on the older woman's body was an immense turn on.

She teaches her usual monday morning class, trying desperately not to let her thoughts drift to the younger woman as she talks about the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence. And she comes to the realization that, as she speaks, even _she_ finds this particular lesson boring.

When it's over, she takes a breather in her office, letting her mind do it's natural thing and run through the events of saturday night and all day sunday. The way in which Amanda had manipulated her body left her wanting more and more and _infinity more._ She doesn't know how she can be around the blonde at work, on a date.. Anywhere, without feeling the urge to wrap her body around her and never let go. The two hour class she's about to teach feels like it's going to drag on, and she'll be exhausted by the time it's over. The sheer intensity of her need for Amanda is nearly crippling, like the younger woman is a drug and she's had one little taste and now she's hopelessly addicted, like her raw want for her is a bottomless pit.

And then it hits her. She never _really_ got a taste. She got to feel, and kiss and caress and love, but she never got to taste.

And then a whole new wave of that primal want washes over her.

She runs her hand down her body slowly, unable to withstand the heat that's emanating off of her, regretting her choice in clothing as she feels sweat gather underneath this horrid turtleneck. She let's out a groan when she hears the unmistakable chatter of young college student's, and she realizes that she needs to get out of her office before one of her pupils decides to come in.

She runs her fingers through her hair and blows out a desperate breath, straightening her clothes before stepping out of her office and into her large classroom.

"Good morning everyone, I hope you all had a relaxing weekend because today I need you all sharp and alert." _Much like I'm so very not._

…

It's like Coraline can tell. Because the weird looks that Amanda gets every time she looks up from her laptop tells her that the crazy old woman has an idea of what happened over the weekend.

"Why are you staring, Coraline?" She finally sighs, tilting her head and looking up at the other woman, who's sitting on one of the leather chairs close to the front counter. She wants to roll her eyes at the blatant way the white haired woman just watches the younger woman.

"You look different." She squints her eyes. "Are you wearing makeup?"

Amanda screws her face up, "When have you ever known me to wear makeup?"

"I don't know. You just look a little more dew-" She stops, eyes widening before a devious smirk takes over her face. She let's out a silent " _ohhhhh,"_ before sitting back in the chair and grabbing a random magazine from the table beside her.

The younger woman arches a brow. "What's 'Oh?', huh?"

"Nothing."

"No, you seem to know something, so lay it on me."

The older woman can barely conceal her smile as she continues to look at the magazine. "I think Olivia already did that."

By now, Amanda should be used to these intrusive, impertinent comments, but somehow, they shock her every time. She rolls her eyes and focuses back on her screen, trying hard to concentrate on the photo she's editing. She looks back up to find that the old woman is still smiling at her, and she snaps, "Oh my God, Coraline. Yes. It happened. How about we drop it now?"

Coraline throws her hands up and chuckles, "I didn't say anything."

"Jesus, you're worse than a teenager."

The other woman smirks and stands up, walking past her and into the back room, but not before tapping the younger woman's shoulder and replying, "Don says the same thing."

…

It's now lunchtime and Olivia is going out of her mind. She's completely had it with the constant thoughts drifting in from their amazing weekend, and she's desperate. She needs a temporary fix.

After the last few students made their way out of the classroom, she grabs her purse and shuts off and locks the door. She's going to do something about this constant distraction.

She walks quickly to the library, heels clicking on the marble floor. When she sees the younger woman sitting at the front desk, eyes fixed intently on her laptop screen, her breath hitches. Amanda Rollins is most definitely the most beautiful woman that Olivia has ever gotten the pleasure to lay eyes on.

"Amanda," She smiles, their eyes locking in a sweet gaze.

"Hey, Liv. How were your classes?" She asks politely, hand reaching across the counter to lace with the brunettes.

Olivia subtly looks around the library in search of Coraline, then turns to her girlfriend. "Long." She rolls her eyes. "Monday classes are always lazy."

"Figured." Amanda chuckles, closing her laptop. She sets the _Out For Lunch_ plaque on the the counter and nods in the direction of the back room. "I brought lunch from home. You can eat with me if you're hungry."

Olivia's eyes darken and she follows the younger woman into the secluded area. "Where's Coraline?" She asks nonchalantly.

"She had to pick her granddaughter up from school. Poor girl has a bug."

Olivia nods, setting her bag on top of the large table. She lets out a breath, and looks at the younger woman. "Amanda," She chokes, now overcome with that need that had nearly crippled her earlier that day.

The blonde turns towards her lover, eyebrows raised in concern.

"I don't need food right now." She whispers, pushing the younger woman gently against the edge of the table. She can tell Amanda is a little confused at first, but when she drops to her knees in front of the perplexed blonde, the realization of what's about to happen washes over Amanda.

"Liv-" She gasps, watching as the older woman tugs her jeans and panties down, eyes never leaving her lover's.

"You have no idea how badly I've wanted you all morning." Olivia purrs, pressing her mouth to the blonde's mound. "And then I realized.." She pauses, darting her tongue out to lick the younger woman's clit softly, "I haven't gotten to taste you yet."

Amanda's head tilts back and she lets out a long, shaky breath as Olivia pushes her tongue through dripping wet heat.

…

It takes her, what feels like, a hundred years to finally regain her bearings. She can't quite wrap her head around the fact that Olivia had just done _that_ with her mouth. The older woman is now sitting flat on the floor, feet crossed at the ankles and she's holding herself up with her arms. There's a satisfied smirk on her face as she looks up at the half dressed woman in front of her.

"What was _that_?" Amanda pants, bending to pick up her panties and jeans.

"Lunch."

The blonde groans, slipping her clothes back on and leaning back against the table once again. Her legs don't seem to be working properly at the moment. She never expected Olivia to do something like that, let alone at _work_ , but the aspect of it is exciting, and it opens a door to more exploration in the future.

"That was.. Just, wow. Amazing." She helps Olivia to her feet and cups the older woman's cheeks, bringing their lips together in a heated kiss. "The best 'hello' a woman could ask for."

Olivia chuckles, fingers dipping under the younger woman's shirt, "That was.. selfishly, mostly for me.. I was craving you." She whispers, lips moving against the other woman's cheek softly. They kiss again, tongues caressing and lips meshing together. "I couldn't concentrate on my lessons."

Amanda hums, "Now, now, Professor..." Smirking, she runs her hands slowly over the taller woman's hips, around to her ass, before stopping to pay special attention to the full, enclothed flesh.

Olivia smiles, pulling back to look straight into the younger woman's blue eyes. "Did you ever think that this would happen?" She asks, fingers moving up to brush blonde hair back. "When we first saw each other a month ago, did you know we'd get here?" She asks curiously, eyes darting back and forth between her lover's.

"Did I ever think that a beautiful, mature, professional woman would want _me,_ an amateur photographer who works in a library?" Amanda jokes, tapping her chin as if to mimic deep thought. Olivia nudges her and they laugh. "Honestly, no. I knew I was very attracted to you, but I didn't think it would become more."

"I'm glad it did." The brunette smiles sweetly, leaning in to kiss Amanda's lips softly.

"Me too."

 **Epilogue**

 **Six months later**

They make their way through the familiar garden towards the bamboo forest. It's their six month anniversary date and Amanda had jumped at the chance to take her girlfriend to their favorite spot. She has her camera, and is snapping photos here and there, but she's mostly taking photos of Olivia, like usual.

She's swept away at the sheer beauty of this woman in front of her. Her hair is longer, now cascading over her shoulders and to the top of her back, she's got bangs, and highlights scattered throughout her dark locks.

She brings the camera up to her eye and watches through the lense as Olivia looks around the tall bamboo stalks. She takes a few photos before smiling. With her eye still poised at the obscura, she murmurs. "Liv."

The older woman looks over, eyebrows raised. "Hm?"

"I love you." Amanda bites her lip, lowering the camera.

The older woman looks shocked, but she doesn't say anything. After a few moments, she moves to stand in front of the blonde.

They kiss deeply, conveying every emotion that can't be spoken. When the brunette pulls back, she shakes her head, "God, Amanda. I love you too." She whispers, and it's the first time those words have been exchanged between them. It's the perfect time and perfect place.

They stand here, in the middle of a beautiful blooming garden, whispering their admissions of love to each other, and they're happy. Because a flower isn't the only thing that blooms.

 **End.**

 **This isn't the end of the** _ **Bloom**_ **universe! ;)**


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